How To Escape An Arranged Mating
by Aura Depths
Summary: The ten most difficult steps to take in order to avoid going through with an arranged mating. Steps are accompanied with the arduous journey of mistakes and romance exemplified by two key characters who make quite the contradictory couple.
1. Select a Lover

How to Escape

An Arranged Mating

(In Ten Difficult Steps)

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><p>Thank you for taking an interest in <em>How to Escape An Arranged Mating (In Ten Difficult Steps)<em>! We will explore the most difficult, most tedious, most effective method for breaking off a relationship before matters become official, no matter your species!

These ten steps are not for the weak of heart or mind. In fact, some serious side effects may occur if these steps are undertaken by the emotionally unprepared, or even if they take too long to fulfill. Throughout _How to Escape An Arranged Mating (In Ten Difficult Steps) _you will be provided with story segments to acquaint you with the core values of each step and to ingrain respect for their do's and don't's.

Should you experience difficulties, please contact us at 1 WE-DONT-CARE. 1 (933) 668-2273. Our free-hire receptionist may seem confused by your inquiries and may very well speak Canadian French. If so, please hang up, and don't try again. You should be able to work out the kinks yourself. _For risks and conditions please review the last page of this collaboration._

On that note, enjoy reading, and best of luck to you! You will probably need it if you're reading this...

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><p><strong><span>Step 1<span> – _Select a Lover_**

**When selecting a lover, keep in mind that they can not be just any individual. For yourself, it is a high priority that you and your lover are compatible. For everyone else, your lover must either have strong qualities or they must have a strong image. One or both of these will assure consideration by your future audience, and give credibility and value to your relationship. Be sure that these traits or values unquestionably outweigh the traits or values of your betrothed, or you will put your lover into a difficult position.**

**WARNING: If you do not have a real lover and obtain a false image lover, do be sure that your false image lover understands the risks and that they are compliant before commencing with these steps. Having a very good friend for this role is highly recommended.**

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><p>Kagome pursed her lips in irritation when her strung bow caught yet again on some undergrowth. "This is ridiculous..." she grumbled, plucking the vegetation loose while making her way through the woods.<p>

This was the third time, in only one week no less, that Sesshōmaru 'summoned' her. She had no other decent term for it. The first time she sensed his vague release of _yōki _she had asked Rin while they ground dried herbs if Sesshōmaru was supposed to be back for a visit so early. The girl had bounded from the hut in a fit of young teen exuberance without answering. Kagome followed, much less enthusiastically, to find the two standing together some distance from the village. As Rin did her best to ruin Sesshōmaru's hearing with tales of her activities since his last visit, the _yōkai_ in reference glared so hard at Kagome that she lost track of her feet and stumbled forward in sheer shock.

The second 'encounter' happened a mere four days later. Kagome sensed him while eating over at Sango's and Miroku's place with their young family and Inu-Yasha. Pausing in her eating, she stared in curiosity at the wall, toward where Sesshōmaru was standing probably sixty feet away. Inu-Yasha jarred her attention, asking what was up. She gave a start and threw Sango and Miroku questioning looks, then gave herself a shake and laughed. "Sorry. I sampled some herbs to test their freshness. They're still strong. I shouldn't have done so knowing I'd come over."

She was forgiven for doing her duty, and her absentminded glances to the wall were overlooked as everyone ate and discussed matters in the village. Sesshōmaru didn't move even after she forced herself to go to sleep later on. There was no way she was going into the woods at night with Inu-Yasha trailing her, so she slept under the _hanyō_'s supervision, wondering what was up.

Two days later, and she found herself armed and alone walking toward the _yōkai_, armed and worried over his past glare, which was followed by outright refusal to see him. Then again, just for the glare she could justify her actions. _"And label myself as very immature..."_ She sighed, absentmindedly yanking her bow out of a bush and wondering how Kikyo had ever managed this; wondering if her feeling of guilt for her actions meant she really was guilty for something.

It was another two minutes later before she spotted his vibrant attire through the trees, vivid white spots of sunlight slowly dancing across his figure as the late summer breeze teased the treetops. It glared off his hair and armor, but nothing could outdo his expression.

"Sorry I'm late," she attempted lightly, not wanting to get off on the wrong foot. Then again, she only had two feet to work with as it was, so on that note her chances for a good encounter were slim. "What are you here for?"

"_Miko_, what do you know of arranged matings?"

The question he had probably planned out so perfectly hit her like a bucket of cold water. She balked, amazed, and stared for a few seconds. It was realizing her mouth was hanging open that got her clearing her throat and regaining some ground. "Um, not much I'm sure. I know of arranged _marriages_, but the customs are bound to be different."

"Explain your tradition." The command was delivered with expressionless poise.

"Well..." She wasn't sure where to start; with the story, or pondering over his reasons? A thought for his limited patience made the decision for her. "We don't practice them in the village, but I know that they are agreements between two families in regards to their children and who they will marry." She studied him for a reaction. He merely waited. "So, two sets of parents matching their children up. Um, I know this can happen young, usually before the child has a right to chose their own partner. And... Oh, usually the families do this to seal agreements or bonds between their whole families or companies, assuring a healthy future for their wealth. … I know that sometimes the kids don't even meet one another until they're at the alter, which is horrible. That's a very big decision for someone else to make, no matter how they claim they have more experience and authority in the matter or no matter what tradition has to say. Some families just do it because of that; tradition that is. Um, I may be able to answer questions if you have any."

That arrogant chin lifted ever so slightly. "You know all of this through stories."

"Well, sorta. I've studied other cultures a lot, and those were just the basics on arranged marriages." Her own words reached her ears, and she winced inside, hoping she didn't reveal too much. "But yes, I've heard stories, too."

He studied her a moment. She fingered her bow. What she planned to do with it to any effective means was beyond her knowledge, but it was a nice, hollow comfort knowing she still had it.

"Have you heard of a means to terminate such an arrangement?"

She hoped he wasn't planning on setting Rin up in an arranged marriage. The girl was still a little too young by Kagome's standards. Besides, there would be no gain for her suitor to marry an orphan studying to become a _miko_. Maybe he just wanted to make sure Kagome would not be able to give the girl the 'wrong' advise. _"I've already said I don't approve of it."_ That was enough to keep her uncensored. What would happen would happen. "Yes, but I'm not sure if any of the stories are true." No reaction was offered, so she sighed again and shifted to a more comfortable position. "Hmm... Well, one of the two can run away, or just die. One family can fall toward poverty and the well-off family can call it off. Other than that, I think one of the kids just needs to take a stand and suffer the consequences of not going through with things. Some reasons aren't bad, either. There could be another person they love, making their promised partner jealous or disgusted so they break things off, or they see a better future by other means."

"A lover?"

Kagome blinked, wondering when she began to ramble. "Yeah, a lover. If you think about it, for the guy in the arrangement at least it's not too unthinkable that in his sexual prime he'll go out and find a girl on the side until he's forced to get married. Depending on the culture, there's no real reason for the guy to be celibate before marriage." It was her turn to study him a moment, worry mounting ever so slowly. "I hope you don't plan to set Rin up with a boy. She's still young, and should be able to make her own choices."

Seconds passed. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as he stared unwaveringly at her. Finally he looked away, casual. "Such intentions do not exist."

A heavy exhale escaped her, and she grinned. "Ah, good. I was worried for a minute." Now her curiosity streamed heedlessly through her thoughts. "So, why the sudden interest?"

"Such inquiries are not yours to ask."

And then he was gone. In an instant, as though he was never there, and she balked. The walk back was full of unanswered questions and cursing over a general lack of common courtesy.

Chores were accomplished, a traveling wagon merchant came for the day and made business before he moved on in the afternoon for the next village, the rice fields were checked up on, and night fell on their well-to-do village, with full pots and decent bedding, some of it freshly bought. They were fairly well off for the size of their village.

Kagome slept easily with Rin separating her and Kaede on their _futon_ bedding. That is, until Sesshōmaru came back. His _yōki_ woke her with a start, and she lay there with heavy eyelids wondering what time it was and whether her weariness outweighed the price of her insolence.

A good fifteen minutes later, she crept from the hut and walked out of the village, through the rice fields. Sesshōmaru was not in that direction, but she preferred to cross paddies and climb a hill for the Well in search of solitude rather than pick her way through dense woods with a waning moon to go by.

He stubbornly remained where he was, of course. Kagome genuinely expected no differently, and used his stand for dominance as time to check on the Well. She checked about once a week these days, in idle hope that it would work. The last time it functioned was three years ago, after sealing her away from her proper era. Three years before then, it had isolated her from the feudal era for her high school years. She had come to the past expecting it to never work again, and accepted its continued inactivity as a simple fact of life. Then again, all those years ago she had jumped down into the Well toward the feudal era expecting to land in the arms of the love of her life.

"_Being single sucks..."_

Sesshōmaru began closing the gap much sooner than expected. Impressed, she sat on the rim and plucked a three foot high piece of field grass growing alongside it, twisting its firm length around her finger and feeling the thin stalk bend into edges as it encircled her finger.

"I can't break my neck meeting with you," she offered when he was within earshot, which was about thirty feet away and closing. "My vision was barely good enough to get _here_, and I know the way pretty well." He approached at a walk, unhurried to begin any conversation. His behavior would make her laugh if her sense of humor was as dry as the Well she sat upon. "I've given it some thought. You're stuck in an arranged mating, aren't you?"

He stopped about six feet away, and everything about him was cast in shades of gray and black with the lacking light. The weather decided to make it worse, with misty clouds stretching across the bright sliver in the sky, filtering the small amount of light already offered.

"You are not from this era, _miko_."

Kagome nearly fell down the dry Well. Gripping the edges firmly, she stared up at his shadowy face. "What... makes you think that?"

"Your mannerisms and speech do not belong in this era."

She frowned. "That _can't_ be the only reason to suspect time traveling. … It was Rin, wasn't it." A shift where his head was indicated a nod, and she sighed, relaxing. There was nothing she could do about keeping that secret now, and since he didn't seem phased by it she shouldn't be either. "Is that why you wanted to talk to me about arranged marriages? Or arranged matings?" That thought had bugged her. Why would he, a lord who most likely had near a thousand years of experience behind him, tutors at his disposal and advisers of all sorts, come to a petty village to ask a petty human about such an intricate matter? She figured that officials would leak details of his hesitance to his mother, if Rin's stories about her were true, and that would keep him from them. But why her in particular? She had gone down a very long mental list of pros and cons several times, and still had wound up clueless, but _this_ little leaked detail changed several things.

"Such did not serve to discourage a conversation." A tickle had her rubbing at her nose as she asked what he was there for that night, stating as well that she had already delivered everything she could think of on the topic. His reply sounded bored, in a slightly peeved manner which screamed the fact that it took a mastery of patience to answer her inquiries at the sacrifice of his precious time. "Your insights on human customs were superficial and irrelevant." A pause lasted just long enough for her to feel the weight of that insult. "However, your views on the matter and vague knowledge help in making you a decent candidate. You are not hideous, your age is ideal, and your profession would be an appalling bonus."

Kagome could feel the gears in her mind trying to feed that thought through. Like an old vending machine swallowing and regurgitating a ragged bill. "My... age is ideal? What does- My profession?" Appalling? She shot to her feet. "What on _earth_ are you babbling on about?"

"Your suggested solution."

She stared, at a loss. "... _What_?"

"Your innocence as well," he continued, and she felt a warm touch on her cheek. She recoiled as if burned as a blush lit her on fire. "I would have to do very little to inspire the proper responses."

"What the hell, Sesshōmaru?" she demanded, getting annoyed and only partially at him. Damn, why did she have to blush over such a little thing? "I said men didn't have to save themselves for the woman all the time, but that doesn't mean you have to go around touching every girl you're alone with."

"You will experience much more." His tone said he would not condone argument. "Pretending to be a lover would come naturally to such a prolific race."

A sarcastic wind moaned through the woods before teasing through the grass, her clothing and hair. She was silent even after it died, but an odd cricket of sorts was making a weird, spasmodic noise. Realization hit that it was her chuckling faintly in sheer disbelief. That fact only enhanced the rich humor of the moment, and she fell victim to a merciless, unrelenting bought of hysteria, complete with laughter of incredulity and mirth.

Time passed. It could have been five minutes or five hours. Kagome knew that she was risking her life, but every time she tried to take calming breaths to apologize and hopefully change the topic, she'd look up at him and start all over again. Eventually, she found herself with sore sides, sitting slumped against the side of the well, giggling lightly and very determinedly not looking up at him.

"Ooh-ho-hooo... Oh, my. I never knew you were so funny, Sesshōmaru."

"On the contrary, I am perfectly sincere on this matter."

"Oh, yes," she tittered, covering her mouth with her hand, hoping her jumping diaphragm would calm down. "And I'm the whore who started up the red-light district. Listen, even if you were, I'd never do it. Ever."

"Explain."

"Well..." she began, straining over the word as she lifted herself back onto her feet. She continued while brushing herself off. "For starters, we wouldn't be able to pull it off. I wouldn't act well, and... Well, I doubt you'd play the part willingly." Fixing him with a stubborn look, she crossed her arms. "Anyway, I have no desire to even pretend to be your lover. You'd want to whisk me away from the village that depends on me, treat me like an... _indulgence,_ and take me to a place where I'd be treated _kami_-knows-how. There's absolutely no appeal to it, not even your good looks, and there is no reason I'd willingly suffer through your personality issues, either. In fact, if she didn't kill herself before things became official, I would admire and cherish that female you're being set up with, because you probably require a mate to be found for you as opposed to hoping one will willingly fall for your title or appearance. Furthermore, I'd only want to be touched in any loving manner by someone I love, not the regal half-brother of the guy I had a crush on as a kid six years ago." To think she was already twenty-one. Time really had a knack of flying by. It certainly didn't feel like six years when she stopped to think about it. Nodding to herself, she decided to wrap things up and get some sleep. "Besides, I'm a _miko_. I think that nature has provided a very evident barrier between us, one I will not even attempt to pass. My best wishes go with you, Sesshōmaru."

She got no further than two steps before he flung an arm out in front of her, making her stop. "You are free to name a price."

"_Is this guy desperate? Maybe I was right, maybe he **doesn't** stand a chance in finding a real lover."_ "You can't buy love. And this village is not doing poorly, we will survive with ease without any financial aid."

"Not as well as you could. How old is your family's shrine? Can you amount enough money yourself to build it?"

Memories of her grandfather rambling on about the shrine drifted about her head – along with history and mythological stories – but there were not certain records as to when it was built. Hundreds of years ago, yes, but how many hundreds was a key question. She never really determined exactly when in time she was, either. Was it in her lifetime there that the shrine would be built, or would she have to rely on fate to have it built?

"_I'll never be as great as Kikyo... She had the village flourishing, rich beyond reason. Then the shrine exploded, thanks to Inu-Yasha, the fire spread everywhere, and she died... The villagers won't even go near the ruins of the walkways and staircases she began building on this hill."_ Facing Kaede's village, she glanced back remorsefully toward the leaf littered walkways and stairs hidden on the other side. They were really quite beautiful. Now they were unattended, scorched and left to rot. They would not make it to her era, but the idea of so much progress going to waste really saddened her. _"Can I assure my own future by myself?"_

"As for the acting..." Her attention snapped forward again when that out-flung hand grasped her shoulder, and she hiccuped with shock when his shadowy face loomed before hers. "That will be the easiest part."

Almost violently she shoved him away, cursing her racing heart. If Inu-Yasha had any romantic interest in her – if he didn't act like a fourteen year old boy all the time! – then she probably would have been onto her second child by now instead of single and blushing over every little contact.

"Don't touch me. I'm not helping you, so forget it."

"Your price then?"

"Too high for you to pay," she scoffed, stepping around him and walking for the village. "I'm sorry. Good luck with the romance in your li-!" There shouldn't have been a rock there. In fact, there should have been a dirt trail she had worn down herself over the course of three homesick years, so she was pretty sure that it wasn't a rock – which would have at least been loose – that she had tripped over. Whatever it was, the end result was her catching herself hard on a knee and both of her palms.

"You may name the cost of your compliance," Sesshōmaru stated as she sat up, hissing over certainly bleeding spots on her body, "or you will be forced to survive without it. Either way, you will assist me, _miko_."

"Can't you take 'no' for an answer?" she yipped at him, still brushing dirt off her palms as small spots of blood began turning it into mud.

"No."

_Kami_, her knee throbbed... "Well, nor can I, in this situation. I think I'd rather die."

"Then you might as well." A distinct shade of green glowed nearby. "I have no qualms with killing a useless creature."

Angry, she lashed out her _ki_, her energy, and the green glow reappeared a good twenty feet away. "You're such a spoiled brat, Sesshōmaru!" It hurt to stand, but she managed. She'd have to keep a wet cloth over that knee of hers for a time, and elevate it most likely. "I said 'no'. Have some more self-confidence and go find someone else willing to sell herself. At least then you'd have someone who will put out for you, and not just put up with you." She'd get the village back on its feet herself, despite the regional wars which began to decimate it in the first place. By herself, and personal safety be damned! Stubborn, she looked away from him, keeping his location in check with her senses still, and started to walk for the village. She could only imagine finally getting back and having her knee the size of a grapefruit. _"Did I land on it funny?"_

He moved, and before she even registered where his new location was her upper arm was grasped, and something firm and narrow smacked painfully into the upper side of her neck. The sensation shot down her arm and through half of her chest, but she didn't even get to gasp before something smacked her brow and the nape of her neck.

Her stomach hurt. That sensation had her snapping her eyes open, only to see black booted heels steadily walking along a nigh invisible trail through the woods.

"_No damned way did this happen!"_ Trying to get up, planting her indeed injured palms on the armor on his back, she lost grip when he jostled her and landed hard on his shoulder again. It did not help her stomach in the least. "Ack, damn you! Put me down!" He stopped moving. She didn't. The ground was not a gentle landing, particularly not in the embrace of a bush. Shifting against jabbing and scraping twigs had the rest of her joining her heels on the ground.

Mumbling out a string of profanity tied to him, she picked herself out of the undergrowth with plenty of scratching involved, and finally got up onto her feet. Anger vanished for a moment in shock as she applied more weight to her injured knee. The only thing she felt now was the scrape. Putting that aside, she planted her fists on her hips and confronted him. The last fifteen seconds had her floundering for something to say, her amazement making it difficult to think. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?"

"Insisting on your compliance."

She blinked. Several times. Her mouth opened and closed as well, trying to function through bewilderment. "You... can't do that!"

"I assure you, I can." He was definitely not going to let her argue. His expression in the morning light said as much. On that note, she began wondering how long she was out for, and what he had done to render her so. She remembered a smack on the neck, but that only numbed up her shoulder area.

Rubbing the side of her neck ruefully, she turned it into tucking her hair behind her ear, then yelped. Something really stung on the upper part of her ear. Really badly, too! She felt at it, and flinched again before exploring more gently at the area. Maybe it was a bad bug bite. Maybe...

Her fingertip nestled over a sore hole in her ear.

A hole.

In her ear. And not the one she heard through.

"Sesshōmaru," she began firmly, much more calmly than she felt. "What is this?"

He was unfazed by her discovery. "That is a traditional lover's mark."

Silence reigned for a few moments. "There is a _hole_ in my _ear_."

"Clearly."

"... Sesshōmaru. I am going to kill you."

"Your attempt would be amusing." The bastard actually had the audacity to smirk.

Oh, she would do more than 'attempt'. She was going to singe his arrogant ass. She was- Her grasping for _ki _had her grabbing nothing. She was blocked?

Her eyes bulged in horror as they swung toward him. She could sense a very faint amount of _yōki_ around her. In her. She wanted to empty her stomach. Why hadn't she noticed that before? "What did you do?" Why wasn't it killing her?

"The answer is evident."

She reached out to choke him, but he grabbed her wrists easily. "You arrogant asshole, what did you do to me?"

"I will have your compliance, one way or another." His words slid down her back like ice, and she shuddered despite herself.

"This won't work out." One way or another? Why was he so hellbent? "If anything, everyone will see the bluff instantly, and I'll be sentenced to death or something."

"You need not worry for your personal safety."

She stared up at him, flabbergasted. Was this really happening? "Why a _miko_?"

He drew her closer, drawing her wrists down and behind him until their faces were inches apart. Maybe he _could_ endure someone treating him as a lover. "Because, if I am to go through with this at all, it _will_ be with the additional intention of making a certain bitch die due to organ failure."

… As sad as it was, she _really_ hoped he was referring to his mother.

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><p>AN: This story is also posted on Dokuga, a site dedicated to Sesshomaru+Kagome and where I'll continue to be posting the edited version of my trilogy. If interested, check it out! Also provided a link in my profile.

As always, thanks for reading! ^_^


	2. Training

**Step 2**** – Training**

**In order to effectively maneuver around an arranged mating, it is prudent that both you and your lover are culturally knowledgeable of one another. There are many differences between every individual on the planet, whether it be found in one's class, ethnicity, race, religion, moral upbringing, or a variety of other aspects which make us unique. In order to complete your goal, you and your lover must be on a level understanding of these differences within one another, and accept them. If you cannot, no one else will, and your relationship will surely fall apart. Share your differences while appreciating your similarities in order to build a solid relationship.**

**If you have found a false image lover, be sure that they are comfortable around you and vice versa. You must be able to act as casual lovers in front of others, which involves close contact, intimate glances and a desire to seek alone time with the other (even if it is to only play a game while leaving the abandoned audience to assume otherwise). If it is the case that one or both of you are not able to act to this extent, we advise that you either seek another partner or practice. You must also know intimate and admirable qualities about your partner which are not common knowledge, as such information will be inquired for quite often.**

**WARNING: Before going public, be certain that you and a false image lover have a clear history together. Members of your audience are sure to ask some basic questions, including how you met and how long you have been together. Be prepared for this.**

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><p>Sesshōmaru spent most of the daylight plotting for the future. Under perfect circumstances, this would only last a day. In a perfect world, he would not be in such a situation to begin with. In this world, his options were more tedious and... irritating.<p>

"This is ridiculous," the _miko_ grumbled, following at the pace he set with fair ease. "I didn't think you'd fall to abduction. _Then_ you only conveniently travel faster than a bullet for _half_ the trip before making me suffer with you, for reasons you refuse to even talk about **despite** the fact that communication is the biggest key to success to any plans you have laid out in that creepily closed off mind of yours."

He ignored her ramblings. It had become second nature since that morning, and the sun was already past its zenith. Such was prudent, since she only ever paused long enough to get her breath back. Her stamina would have been admirable, if it was not so egregiously aggravating.

"Oh, no, of course you're not desperate; your actions have most certainly **not** very clearly screamed as much. No, no, not desperate. Stupid though. Very stupid. A _yōkai _kidnapping a _miko_ in an eloping farce. Oh, that's just brilliant. Surely no other individual lacking in these already exemplified high levels of strategic logic could come up with such a cunning plan, let alone an even _better_ one. Yes, it is very clear that the great Sesshōmaru-_sama _is not desperate. Where cowardice would have led another to run from an arranged marriage, the great Sesshōmaru thinks with the hair on his chest, and charges into the most asinine idea ever even attempted in Japan. Nay, in the _world_, for no one could have thought up better, seeing as the only effective and desirable outcome is to lead a hostage by her wrist to her personal guillotine. Indeed, even the hair on this great _Denka_'s chest has the might and will and brains to block out a peeved _miko_'s attempt at logic, and inspires its bearer to continue marching toward **failure**!"

… He was not capable of _completely_ ignoring her, which had its disadvantages. At least her crude comments were beginning to make him smirk.

"On the plus side though, I **fully** expect to die of hunger and fatigue, before sheer humiliation over my supposed role in this can fulfill its duty. Indeed, dying due to starvation would be much better than serving as a soldier to a mute general in a two-man war against the world; particularly when that soldier is figuratively armed with a rock, and the general with gnarled old stick."

"A gnarled old stick would have the decency to remain quiet until commanded to speak."

"Oh, go ahead and sink to hell," she snarled behind him. Her stomach growled quite audibly, and she sighed. "How about this. I'll be quiet for an hour if I fill my stomach. Fill it with delicious edible food," she quickly clarified, closing any simple loopholes. "I may need help hunting down something substantial though, since you failed to take my bow and quiver along with me."

He certainly hoped that an hour was a very long increment of time. He stopped on the path, deciding to indulge her in conversation. "You wish for a midday camp?"

The halt she came to was jarring, and the look she gave him was quite incredulous, enough so for her to tilt her head to one side. "... Yes, I would like that for a time. Food and water three times a day would guarantee me being able to keep up with you for long durations of time."

"Twice," he offered. "Morning and evening. Today may be an exception due to the circumstances."

She stared at him as though he had sprouted feathers. Giving herself a small shake, she looked away, mumbling so quietly that even he could not make it out. He almost expected to smell smoke from her smoldering stare. "Deal, on the condition that we take time each day to prepare for the future." That stare re-directed to him. "I absolutely refuse to die because of your social inhibitions. If you want to escape the arranged mating, then it only make sense to hone your weapon while you can." She glanced down at his waist. "And I don't mean _those_ weapons."

He had to admit, if only to himself, that she had a decent amount of spirit. Outwardly, he nodded. "Find yourself a place to camp. I will return shortly."

The _miko_'s eyes had not finished bulging before he vanished in pursuit of prey. He had not hunted for another since Rin traveled with him, and even then it had been rare. A part of his mind reminded him to not act with genuine intent as her lover, but his instincts still recognized what hunting for another meant. _"If I can not bring myself to perform such a simple task, then I might as well abandon her and submit to the arranged mating."_

He ignored his instincts again later, when the rabbit's neck snapped in his grasp, the body he would not be eating going limp. Glaring at the specimen, he reined in his thoughts and sought out his mock lover.

Finding the camp was easy. Her scent meandered throughout it, crisscrossing a very small clearing. Tall grass lay flattened in a variety of angles, and a circle of it was ripped out and tossed aside, leaving a shallow dirt pit upon which there was piled dry sticks and tinder.

Unceremoniously, he tossed the rabbit next to the pit and began to walk for the quiet stream nearby. He was not going to tolerate a long stop when sunset was less than half the day away, and even before sunset they would have to stop in order to compensate for the poor vision of humans.

The trees were fairly sparse, so she came into view within fifty feet, kneeling still a good sixty feet away next to the local stream. For some reason she was splashing water onto her face and rubbing it.

"_Miko_." There was no response, so he repeated himself, louder.

The girl glanced back toward him, searching a moment before making eye contact. Then she turned forward again and continued with what she had been doing.

Sesshōmaru narrowed his eyes. The next instant he stood next to her. "_Miko_."

"M, just a sec," she replied, splashing her face again.

Wondering how much pressure a human neck could tolerate, he planted his foot on the nape of hers and planted her head into the stream she so cherished. There was plenty of floundering to be had, wet splashes as she flailed and grabbed at his ankle. After a good ten seconds he took his foot away. The _miko_ flung backward so hard that she landed on her bottom, where she gasped and coughed through hair plastered down her face, water streaming from her head in runnels off her chin and down her neck.

"**Sesshōmaru**!" she bellowed, lifting her debris-spotted, rigid hands upward, as though asking her next sentence to stand and step forward.

"You will do well to not ignore me."

After wiping to clear her vision of hair – which clung to the side of her head in an odd way – she stared, pale face fixated in flustered fury, hands still held up at level with her eyes. "I- I didn't- I was just-! You-!"

"Start the fire," he ordered, annoyed. "And cook your meal. We do not have time to dawdle for the sake of your grooming."

Her staring resumed. Then, as though breathing in the essence of patience from the sky and earth – breathing it in _deeply_ – she let it out in a sigh and merely stood up. "Thank you for catching something for me," she stated flatly through an even flatter expression. "Next time, please ask me to pay attention in a less rude manner. I need to rinse my hands off now, then I will go cook."

And she did just that, which impressed him. Being the _miko_ of that village must have taught her some tolerance. Then again, the task of raising Rin for the last three years would have accomplished that by itself. At that thought he frowned as she scrubbed her hands in the stream, wondering if that logic labeled him as a childish prankster. When she was done he turned for her 'camp', and her footsteps followed.

"I don't have the tools for lighting a fire," she admitted, sourly. "I'll look for flint rock as we go. Would you please help me again?"

Now she wanted him to provide for her in another way, a fact which did not alter at all even though she had spoken through clenched teeth instead of in hopeful plea. How vexing. "Humans are amazingly useless."

She flared her _ki_ warningly. After half of the morning he had decided to let her reunite with her powers, which had incited no grateful comment from her.

Her steps stopped. He ignored her. As he knelt by the tinder, selecting a bit of summer dried wood, he listened as she began to approach again, grumbling her frustrations. Leaving her be, he soon had smoke raising from his grasp.

An ear-splitting shriek startled the forest. Sesshōmaru shot to his feet, stick still in hand, and immediately began searching for the threat.

"Oh, _kami_, you brought it _whole_!"

Thoroughly puzzled, he looked to the _miko_, who was staring in dissolute horror with one eye through her fingers, hands covering her entire face. He followed her gaze to the oddly angled rabbit. Anger swelled within him. _"How dare she toy with my instincts in such a manner!"_

"I think I'm going to throw up," she wept, wet and miserable. "I've never had to handle a kill."

Shockingly enough, his anger dissipated. Slightly. Overall, he supposed that it was easier for him to take initiative and help as opposed to giving in to her needs for a provider. "Then you will learn now."

"No!" she yelled fearfully as he tossed the acid dripping wood aside. "I- I could never do that. It's... horrible!"

The girl was becoming more annoying by the moment. "It is a kill, not kin."

"I had a pet rabbit growing up," she argued, giving a sickened glance back down at the furry length of death. "His name was Hoppy."

"Clever."

"I was **five**," she seethed. "I grew up alongside animals, not killing them."

"You eat meat."

An attempt at innocence played across her face, warring with guilt. "Well, yes, when someone else prepares it."

"And this is why you must learn how to dress a simple rabbit." She should have been embarrassed for her ignorance, not defending it. Humans were truly bizarre.

She shook her head wordlessly. Stubbornly.

"You are easy to replace," he stated. "You will witness how to dress either a rabbit, or a human. Only one of them will be dead for the lesson."

It took some time for her to get over her shock. Grabbing up the rabbit, he seized her wrist and led her a decent distance away from the camp. Instead of arguing, she hesitantly took a seat when he stopped and released her, and nodded, looking pale for more reasons than having been shoved into a cold creek. Dressing a kill was not a complicated process, really, so she should not be so distraught. Kneeling before her, he positioned the rabbit to lay on its belly and pinched the skin over its haunches, slitting it open.

The _miko_ made an odd noise on the other side of the rabbit from him. "You are watching, _miko_?"

"Yes." Her voice sounded shaky.

Inserting two fingers into the slit, he peeled back the skin, fur falling onto the flattened grass as the meat became exposed. The rabbit was healthy, flesh turning a rich purple, the fine webbing tissue separating muscle from skin appearing a clean, pure white.

Another odd noise occurred, and he glanced up at her. Sweat accompanied her threateningly pale complexion. "This is not you, _miko_. Pay attention." She nodded. He continued. The fur yanked off fairly easily, with him having to slit away the white tissue rarely. He severed the feet at the ankles, producing four gags from the girl as bone cracked, and the head came off with a small pool of blood, which dribbled onto the grass. The blood had a rich scent to it, one Sesshōmaru appreciated from every kill.

The _miko_ slapped a hand over her mouth, bending slightly and dry retching. Ignoring her, he held the skinned kill upright by its forelegs and began squeezing the body from neck to hips, just enough pressure to avoid bursting the internal organs and spoiling the meat. Blood dripped as he repeated the process. On the third pass he felt the internal organs loosen with a small shift.

Holding the rabbit at arm's length, he gave it a firm vertical jostle, watching for the _miko_'s reaction as the internal organs exited neatly through the carcass' anus, landing with a long and wet sounding 'splat' on the ground.

The girl froze, stricken by disgust. She looked on the verge of passing out.

"This is what you typically receive?" he inquired, drawing her attention away from the kill. Slowly, she shook her head, then winced her eyes shut as another dry retch leaped up her throat. She shot her eyes open again, as though she had seen something terrible on the inside of her eyelids.

"Hm." Standing, he slit the rabbit open, cutting through the sternum and across the stomach to the groin. He carried it back to camp, and laid it over a low hanging branch before resuming with lighting the fire. It was blazing healthily before she managed to make her unstable way over to him.

"That," she began lightly, swallowing and covering her nose and mouth briefly, "was disgusting."

"Next time you will do it yourself." He had seen Rin skewer meat and fish onto sticks to be cooked, but was uncertain whether or not all humans prepared flesh in such a manner.

"Thank you," she graciously said, visibly shaken. "I would much rather fish."

* * *

><p>At sunset, Kagome decided that Sesshōmaru was nothing, absolutely nothing, if not merciless. She had asked – no, she had <strong>pleaded<strong>, all day save for the hour of silence she owed him, pleaded for him to spare her from dressing the evening rabbit, insisting she could not and would not do it. She could hardly even swallow the bites he nearly force-fed her earlier in the day – even after they were cooked in the means she was forced to describe in face of swallowing raw meat – and he had insisted that she not insult the rabbit and, far worse, him.

She had thrown up shortly after, which did not bother him save for the time it took from their traveling.

"I... can't...!" she sobbed, runnels of tears streaming down her face as he held out four innocent, dead rabbits by their ears. He ordered for her to 'practice', and what she couldn't eat the local creatures would relish. Miserable, she hiccuped, shaking her head and sobbing. She had begun making camp, but when he left to go kill she took off at a dead run. He found her easily enough, and was now quite peeved over her antics. "The... poor b-bunnies!"

"They are already dead," he informed yet again, lifting one up by a forelimb, its head slowly turning big staring dead eyes toward her, until a sickening crackle presented itself in its neck. "Dress them, _miko_."

"They're already wearing fur, the perfect outfit," she argued morosely, flinching away as he held them out closer to her.

"Say that again," he tested, stern and bitter, "and you will have nothing _but_ their fur as a garment option."

Desperate, she tried to think of an excuse. A brilliant one came to mind quite quickly. "I don't have anything to cut them with."

His expression darkened, the forest creatures quietly hiding away from his mood. Thinking herself victorious as the silence stretched, she began to calm a little.

"Drop them," he warned, thrusting the rabbits into her grasp, "and you will live to regret it."

"Oh, no..." she sobbed in a thick, sickly tone, unwillingly holding four sets of accusing dead eyes. Sesshōmaru moved out of her periphery, and a sharp crack hinted at what he was doing, but she couldn't disengage the staring contest. Two more cracks.

"Use this, _miko_."

Stiffening, she looked over, and forgot all about rabbits as she stared at what he held out to her. It was a rock, but it was broken, and in such a way that it was quite conveniently sharp despite the rough edge.

Sesshōmaru was not amused by her dawdling. "You may _set_ the rabbits aside, and work on them one at a time."

"Gee, aren't you generous," Kagome scoffed, wincing over the feel of their bodies as she sat, setting them aside like they were sleeping babies. Her wrist was grasped and pulled. Even though it was for the purpose of setting the rock in her hand, which she knew, she couldn't help but notice how warm his touch was. _"How can someone so cold feel so... human?"_ She had felt his non-lethal touch once before as well, when he stroked her cheek.

The next instant he released her, and she blinked, focusing on the rock instead of his hand.

He settled nearby, sitting cross-legged. They had been traveling uphill since the latter part of the day, and the grass had given way to small bits of vegetation and rock outcrops on the forest floor. "Begin."

The steady heartbeat of her life faltered. Whimpering once, she pulled a rabbit in front of her, and stared at it.

"Pinch the skin above the hips."

She did so, and tried to cut, wincing. Three more attempts later, she managed to actually get past the fur and through the skin. _"You can do this. People do this every day. It's just meat, it'll taste..."_ Well, she could go on without thinking about that bit.

"Rip the skin away."

Giving a start, she forced herself ahead, hoping not to freeze up again. Purplish flesh covered with white fascia soon revealed itself, and she could smell the little body being torn apart by her own bare hands. Twisting her head away, she tried to breathe air from the other direction, and gagged when it failed.

"Continue."

"I don't want to," she whined, the corners of her mouth in competition with one another for reaching down her chin. One glance at his face though, and she complied. "Distract me. Talk about things I'll need to know in the near future."

"Ask a question."

"Offer a subject."

"Start with the hind legs before commencing with the back," Sesshōmaru directed casually. "Where do you feel your knowledge fails?"

"Where do _you_ think it does?" Being angry certainly made the rabbit less daunting, and she looked down in horror when her skin tugging resulted in a great deal of progress. A wave of shivers scaled up her spine, and she tried to imagine that it was his arm while continuing. "I'm accustomed to having a teacher telling me what I need to know, not a pit of information I can fish in hoping I catch all that I need. I don't know the first thing about _yōkai_ cultures, or about your predicament, or your family, or you even. So, my first question is, where do I need to start?"

She heard him sigh, and froze. He rarely made a wordless noise. _"Is that a good or a bad thing?"_

"Continue. Your views on arranged matings were simplistic. The rules change depending on a _yokai_'s species, but the principals are the same."

Kagome listened, and slowly fell victim to fascination as he spoke. Initially, she was far too grossed out by the fur and blood on her hands to pay him much heed, but the part of her mind paying attention began bugging her more and more to listen to story time. As she finished up the second rabbit, she almost succeeded in not picking up the third and just avidly listening. _Yōkai_ customs and rules were very intricate, even to the point that Sesshōmaru had no say in the arranged mating, but the female did, and this was in part due to their age differences, which fitted well into custom. He was soon to be seven hundred years old, and his betrothed was twice that, meaning they were both at the age when they were most fit for reproduction, which was a tedious process due to lifespans and assassinations and family rivalries, one of the latter which would be settled by the arranged mating, despite the fact that the female would leave China – from where Sesshōmaru originally was – in order to be his first mate in Japan; and speaking of that, yes, over his lifetime he would accumulate several mates, but the first was alpha whereas the rest were either proofs of conquest of peace agreements sent to him by the female's parents, which was customary and needed for the aforementioned difficulties in rearing a pup to adulthood.

"Dress the next rabbit."

Kagome recoiled out of her avid listening pose, and yanked a rabbit into her lap by its ears. Pausing, she repositioned it gently on the ground before her. Her thoughts were running laps around the facts enough to almost make her feel out of breath, especially since Sesshōmaru seemed unable to stop talking once he was on a subject. Really, it was only because there were so many connecting, relevant details to cover, but it still amazed her that he could speak for well over ten minutes at a time. "So, you basically go through a breeding program the first time you get a mate."

Sesshōmaru blinked at her, and she smiled, pausing only a moment before cutting into the next rabbit. It was a pretty funny concept, and all of his talking did... something. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it seemed that he was more open, his cold mask beginning to slip. It was quite interesting to watch, and it made being in his presence less daunting and more... familiar.

"Mating is a tedious process for _inuyōkai_ with any valuable heritage."

"So, how did your parents get together?"

The mask slipped back into place. After a moment though he fell back into teacher mode, and she watched while jerking back a skin as he slowly became comfortable with the subject. "She was his second mate, from a total of eight. The previous alpha female died before I attained my first century. When the alpha female dies, the rest of the females are left to challenge one another for the vacated position. Many of them and their offspring died in the turmoil."

"The children?" Kagome asked, appalled. "Why?"

Sesshōmaru offered a cold, flat stare. "The females did not kill their competitors' children. It was the children who killed one another."

Images flashed through her head. Morbid images which included terrified children struggling to stay alive. "Did _you_ kill?"

"Unfortunately, no." His genuine disappointment floored her. "I was too young to begin training with weapons or to be weened off of my fur. My two eldest sisters fought to keep me alive. They had the advantage in the fighting, thanks to our mother's bloodline dappling in that of the acid clan."

"What happened to your sisters?" she asked tediously.

"They were recently mated in China."

The story had such a simple ending that she was almost disappointed. "They were much older than you, weren't they?"

"By nine centuries." He glanced at the rabbit, and she quickly resumed. "They protected me, but for a variety of reasons. I was the only male to come from my mother, so saving me was a priority for their reputations and for their status. Due to my father's shortcomings, if I had perished they would have been rendered into servants, not allowed to mate an _inugami daiyōkai_ in China."

"So..." Kagome began through a frown, "if you were dead, your mom wouldn't have had any status value even if she did win the title of alpha?"

Sesshōmaru shook his head. "She would be able to maintain her position with an alpha male alive. With him dead, and with no male heir, she would have been considered an invalid."

"Wow. Talk about itemizing someone. And your older sisters, were they born at the same time?" He nodded again, and she winced over cutting off a rabbit foot. "Did you have other siblings?"

"Three other sisters. Two are dead."

"How'd they die?" Two more feet to go.

"One in the alpha struggle, and one by other means."

One more foot. Kagome couldn't help to but acknowledge that for his title, his life sort of sucked in terms of family. "So, you have three living sisters?" He nodded, not offering more. "When your dad died, did his other mates leave?"

"They were chased away," he answered. "Their children remained as high ranked servants, stripped of titles and rights."

"That's... harsh."

"It is generally seen as a better alternative than being slaughtered." He looked at her progress. "Like a rabbit. You are very sloppy."

Kagome frowned at him. Well, I think I've done well for my second and a half time, Perfectionist-_sama_."

Sesshōmaru made it clear that he was done with story time, and they had begun discussing things Kagome could expect to be confronted by upon arrival to his home. It was technically his mother's though, since he was not valid for his father's title until he was of age, which would coincide with his becoming mated if his mother had anything to say about it.

"So I'll meet her first," Kagome began to summarize, notes of proper behavior on her part slowly being stored away, "and then we'll go to your rooms and re-cap on how I was received before taking the next step."

"Crudely stated, yes. Before then, your speech requires improvement."

Kagome scratched an itch on her cheek with the sleeve of her _hakui_. "It's not going to change overnight."

"You will practice," he assured. "And learn quickly. One thing you must learn is to not shorten your words."

Eloquently, Kagome asked "huh?"

"You combine words, or omit them entirely," Sesshōmaru clarified, his nose wrinkling slightly as though at a terrible smell. "It's, that's, you'd, couldn't... Your ignorance is amplified by such horrible grammar. I will not tolerate it should your lack of verbal etiquette reflect poorly on me. If you speak, it will be with a comprehensive flow of words, not the mangled disgrace you are so prone to producing."

Kagome's back grew more stiff by the sentence. "That'll-" Closing her eyes, she modified her sentence, speaking through her grinning teeth. "That will most certainly be difficult to alter, especially so should I find myself with a comfortable conversation partner, Sesshōmaru-_sama_."

"This is why you will practice." He took her words at face value, which only irritated her further. "Your appearance will change more easily, so that will be addressed later on. Tonight will begin the alteration of your speech, your mannerisms, and your acknowledgment of someone's status."

Vaguely, she wondered when that throbbing blood vessel on the side of her head would burst. "You plan to make quite the young lady out of me. How grateful I must be... Do you plan to have me paint my face and wax my hair around ornamental hair pieces as well?"

"No." He studied her face then, thinking while she slowly became uncomfortable under his scrutiny. "You have a suitable amount of natural beauty. Powders and paints merely serve as a mask. If I am to express pride in having you by my side, modifying your appearance too drastically would insinuate dissatisfaction on my part."

Kagome's anger bubble popped, and that emotion was put on a back burner to simmer in memory as she fidgeted under his transfixed stare. "Um... I'm glad I won't have to look like a _geisha_ then." Trying to break away from her discomfort, she giggled lightly. "To look like that, it'd take more than me to get it all done."

Sesshōmaru was abruptly before her, and she would have flung away if not for him grasping her chin. "I am having a difficult time deciding how to discipline you for your deplorable abbreviations."

Her eyes widened. "I'm sorry, it was an accident."

A smirk lifted the side of his mouth as he laughed lightly with a sharp exhale through is nose. "Clearly."

Catching the second mistake, she winced slightly. "I am sorry. You have my sincerest apologies, and a guarantee that I will do better."

"Hm." He released her, and she held her chin sourly. "Better. You will do your _best_ from now on, or accept the consequences."

"M-hm," she hummed ruefully. Realizing her hand was covered in dried rabbit blood, she quickly pulled her fingers away from her face. "Oh, _kami_, where's a creek?"

It happened without warning. By the time her shock quelled, he was pulling away, a stern look on his face. Blood or not, she touched her lips, horrified.

"Pervert!" she shrieked, trying to smack him and failing miserably. "Don't kiss me, you ass-!"

He kissed her again, keeping her wrists held upright with ease. She tried to kick his groin, and found herself facing the sky and pressed to the ground.

"You will do your _best_ from now on," he repeated nonchalantly, pinning her to the ground with her wrists held above her head and his knee on her stomach, "or accept the consequences."

She writhed furiously, getting nowhere, damning the person who taught Sesshōmaru how to suppress _ki_. "I swear, if you don't-!" Another, longer kiss ensued, and she tried to bite his face off. "Stop it! Damn you, stop this stupidity, right now!"

And just like that he was gone, and all pressure disappeared.

"Keep your enthusiastic spirit," he ordered, sitting where he had been two minutes ago and stripping a stick to skewer meat on in the future. "Lose your heinous dialect."

"Seriously?" she demanded, sitting up and wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "You're-" Golden eyes flashed up from the task they were focused on, warningly staring at her just below his bangs. She kept her arm protectively over her mouth. "**You are** going to try and discipline me with _kisses_?"

"It serves a dual purpose," he offered, looking away. "It will quicken your speech alteration due to repulsion, and considering the frequency of your errors it will allow you to grow accustomed to the act. Such practice will be exercised before I reveal you."

"Practice?" she spat out, appalled.

Setting the stick aside, he fixed his gaze on her, determined to make her understand. "You will be my lover." The words clenched in her chest briefly. "As such, you should be accustomed to such a basic show of affection. The appeal of your innocence only goes so far."

"Oh, give me a break!" she griped. He gave her that look again, then began to move closer. "W-what are you doing?"

"That is not an acceptable phrase to use," he stated, calm and collected as she tried to crawl away while sitting on her bottom_._ "Considering your disposition, it is too 'modern'."

"Okay, okay, just tell me, don't kiss me!"

He smirked, still advancing, and she almost began to cry over her subconscious slip up.

"You will grow accustomed to my touch," he stated, grabbing her ankle so she could not flee any further. Clearly enjoying himself, he pulled her closer as opposed to pursuing her. "Very quickly, if you refuse to learn."

This was a crime! She tried to kick him in the face as she slid closer to doom by handfuls of her _hakama_, and found herself deposited in his lap. He was manipulating her like a rag doll, and she was getting fed up with it. It was then that a somewhat comforting thought crossed her mind. _"It's only kissing, and he __**does**__ have a point."_ She sat motionless in his lap for a few seconds, then glared with all her might up at him. "Why are you taking your time _now_ when before you were sneaky and quick?"

"The value of your shock will only last for so long," he explained, cupping a hand around her hip. "You are not capable of acknowledging things within what I consider to be a reasonable amount of time. In this manner, you will fully absorb and appreciate your discipline."

Her heart was pulling a muscle. "You are absolutely mad, Sesshōmaru-_sama_."

"Perhaps," he conceded wryly, holding the back of her neck and drawing her in for a kiss. Inside her head she was screaming profanities, but the rational side of her tried to remain calm and to deal with it, thinking of times when this would end up happening in public, and her life could depend on how she received him.

A thought fluttered through her head, and she grasped it back into the light for examination. _"He is not very touchy-feely. If I'm going to act like his lover, then..."_ He pulled away, and with half a thought she cupped his face and pulled him back, kissing him.

An unreasonable amount of satisfaction ignited in her when he recoiled, glaring and even exposing his canines in a show of anger which Inu-Yasha had ingrained in her. Still in his lap, she grinned, gripping the fabric covering his chest. "Oh, come now, Sesshomaru-_sama_. Surely you can endure the attentions of your 'lover' in a mutual relationship."

"_Miko_..."

"No," she interrupted, playfulness set aside to be stern, taking control. "These lessons do not go in one direction only. I do not care how _yōkai_ lovers behave. You chose a human, and you will accept what that entails or be titled as an optimistic and blind idiot. Humans in this era believe in mutual relationships, in sharing love as opposed to giving and receiving signs of affection." Getting out of his lap, she walked away and gathered up the rabbits, eying the entrails hole she had dug out and filled but never covered with dirt. She did that little chore with her foot as she continued. "I suppose that is a reason why we are so prolific, as you said earlier. We love, but what you described sounded like the fulfillment of a duty. Perhaps I should teach you a thing or two about humans."

He remained silent where he sat, leaning back on one hand and thinking, weighing her words and the honesty within them. Not dealing with him, she marched off for the evening camp. By the time she had two skewers covered in meat – poor bunnies... – he walked into the small clearing, met her eyes, and nodded his acceptance.

"Well!" she began brightly, grinning. "I am glad we have come to an agreement." Speaking so formally and keeping her mind on it was difficult, but she managed. "You have not told me anything about _yōkai_ courting, so I am just going to dive into human rituals. They are not set in stone, and some of it is a little idealized, but there is a basic process." She chattered about flirting, dating, and different types of marriages and living agreements couples could wind up in, making comparisons to what he had already described when appropriate and bantering lightly with him over the differences and similarities. He lit the fire, and she made rabbit shish kabobs, along with so many grammatical mistakes that she actually began to laugh when he leaned closer for 'discipline', and tried her best to unnerve him with touches. If he could have his fun, she could have hers.

"Oh, stop your fidgeting," she teased, poking his knee for a second time with a stick she had just picked clean of meat. "Trust me, I can be far more insufferable than this. If you can not handle it, then return me to Kaede's Village.

"You have a way with making propositions tempting."

She gawked at what was, perhaps, a joke, and he ignored her, eating the raw meat she had skewered and never gotten over the fire. "Hey, Sesshōmaru," she chimed in, bending into his periphery with a grin from where she sat. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Since I am such a terribly pitiful human, blessed with the senses of a rock, feel free to smirk to signify when you are being comical. My perceptions are mainly based on what I see."

He studied her, then looked away without moving, bland expression unchanging. She poked his knee again, which was tolerated, then tended to some more cooking meat.

"Humans are an undying curiosity."

"Hm?" she asked, glancing up from blowing on the fresh skewer. "They seem bland and ordinary to me. It is _yōkai_ which are an undying curiosity, in a more literal sense as well." She took a bite, chewing the hot and juicy meat, swallowing before continuing. It really did not taste any different simply because she saw the body and dressed it herself. "Are you really almost seven hundred years old?" He nodded, and she mentally plotted herself on a compass. Pointing ahead and toward the right, she asked "have you ever visited the large landmass across the ocean in that direction?"

He visually followed her finger, turning around slightly. "No, but I know of it. Rumor has it that humans have constructed means to cross the ocean and populate the terrain. The native _yōkai_ are none too pleased about that, seeing as the newcomers do not know how to co-exist with them."

Kagome frowned, thinking over that statement. "Huh. I guess spirits of the earth really do exist outside of movies." This turned their conversation to movies, and eventually Kagome found herself fervently defending the facts and uses of electricity, which lead to technology and the luxuries of her era.

"Oh, and baths are common," she stated, sighing mournfully. "Pluming is such a wonderful thing... It really is. We have a machine that heats up water just like this." With a crooked finger, she flipped an invisible switch in the air in front of her. "In this era, there is so much effort into getting a bath, and even then a tub is usually cramped beyond reason just so that the water does not cool while being filled." Frowning, she shamelessly sniffed at her armpit, wondering if she should bathe. "I bet I really smell to you."

"Not too terribly."

"Well, I smell better the more often I get to scrub myself down," she announced, hoping this promised a visit to a hot spring in the near future. "A human's innate defense is their smell, after all. Keep predators at a distance when you haven't evol-" Blinking, she rolled her eyes and smirked, catching herself even before noticing Sesshōmaru move in. She purposefully licked her lips and made a loud 'mwah' noise with the kiss. It did not seem to bother him. "-**have not** evolved with a brain capable of making weapons. I guess you could consider yourself lucky that sweat gyms do not exist yet."

They ate in silence for a time, and amazingly enough it was Sesshōmaru who spoke first.

"We will sleep together tonight."

Some rabbit ran down the wrong hole, sending Kagome into a fit of coughing. Even before she fully recovered she was demanding to know exactly how intimate he expected her to be, her diaphragm persistently trying to extract anything and everything from her lungs.

"You misunderstand," he informed, seeming somewhat humored by her difficulties. "Our scents will need to mingle. When they do I will then proceed with some required steps. I do not expect you to sacrifice your virginity."

Reclaiming her composure, Kagome sighed with relief, clearing her tormented throat. "Oh, good. … So, what is entailed by 'sleep together'?"

"Physical contact."

Those simple, innocent words sparked off images in her mind, and she hurriedly tried distracting herself by eating more rabbit. He watched her, and it almost felt that he could read her mind. She was not looking forward to nightfall.

* * *

><p>She was not looking forward to nightfall. That fact was obvious as the <em>miko<em> tried to distract herself with food. It puzzled him that she, belonging to a prolific race, would feel hesitant, even absolutely terrified, by the idea of touching someone else while asleep. Perhaps this minute inhibition would resolve itself with time, like the rabbit, and the kissing.

Disgruntled, he looked away from her again. He had not expected her to be so comfortable with the kissing so quickly. Perhaps she had mentally braced herself. If so, she was doing better than he was. The kissing was to help him with his shortcomings in being comfortable around someone else in such a way. Now she was catching her own flaws and practically leaning in for a kiss. He had begun to half expected her to make intentional errors soon, but her reaction to the idea of sleeping together threw his suspicions of her over the edge of a cliff.

"So," she intruded on the peace, throwing uncertain glances at him as he regarded her warily. He genuinely had no clue on how to perceive her anymore. Perhaps she _would_ go as far as forsaking her virginity with the right amount of provoking. And that thought did not help him to ignore the fact that she was blushing, weaker than him, and very female. "I expect there to be no groping, inappropriate touches, or testing tonight. I want to sleep, not to tolerate further pestering, okay?"

He scoffed. "I can not manage to pester you further if I have not pestered you at all thus far."

"Oh, you are so full of yourself," she scolded. "You have pestered plenty, no matter your view on your actions." Tossing her third cleaned stick onto the failing fire, she got up, threw more wood onto the small flames, and began walking around, gathering materials of some sort, including a decaying log of wood. She set up two standing racks at thigh-height above the fire, which was gradually dying again, and then began to precisely cut meat from the remaining three rabbits. He did not ask what she was doing as she settled strips of flesh on the hanging sticks, nor when she added the decaying log and produced an unsavory amount of smoke. She finished her task, meat hanging over a steady column of smoke, then settled onto her side, staring at the ensemble of bright red coals as they attempted to eat away at the new log. "Feel free to wait until I fall asleep before coddling me. The _kami_ know I will sleep better for it."

He did wait, thinking to himself as she took her time in drifting off, turning and shifting every so ofter. The moment she took his face in her hands, pulling him down to her, kissing him, relived itself in his mind again. He had let himself be vulnerable, and his astonishment over her actions had cost him in reaction time. The worse part about that moment was that it had not been entirely unpleasant for its short duration. Then again, was it counterproductive to enjoy the attentions of his mock lover? It would certainly make things go more smoothly in the future. The only issue was keeping in mind that she was a tool, not a fertile female.

His attention was drawn when she took a deep inhale, shifting in a languished manner. When she stilled, slightly curled up and with her head on her arm, she exhaled, her lips slightly parted and her expression neutral. He monitored her breathing and listened to her heartbeat, watching her eyelids for movement. Both had a steady, unbroken rhythm, and her face remained at peace.

He allowed her to sleep for a time, considering plans for tomorrow. The moon rose well over the treetops before he got up, set aside his armor and weapons, and settled down next to the _miko_. She slept on her side, perfectly at ease and unsuspecting. And, not that he would ever admit it aloud, he was terrified of touching her. She already had his primal side intrigued, he did not need to add this on top of it.

Stubborn, he settled his palm on her stomach. He would not give way to his 'intrigue'. It was his right as a male to be intrigued when the opportunity arose, so therefore it was nothing to worry over or even think about. She was a tool. She even called herself a weapon. He did not have to acknowledge her as female, simply as his means to an end.

His means to an end coughed, and his hand flew away from her. After a few more coughs, which were quiet and small, she calmed again, sighed, and began to slip back into deep sleep. She could not have irked him more if she tried, and what was worse is she was not at fault. Disgraced, he held her abdomen again, lined up his arm with the one holding her head, and pulled her against him. Her head slid onto his bicep, and she made a small, argumentative noise over the movement. Focusing on stillness, he watched as she shifted. Her shoulder bumped his chest, twice, and his means to an end scooted back into him further. In a very affectionate manner, she rubbed her cheek against his arm before relaxing against him.

He struggled not to find the behavior endearing, and failed. Looking away from the top of her head, he suppressed his complaints and wrapped his free arm around her again, adjusting his fur around them, trying to relax and be comfortable for the night, trying not to think about her.

… … … Her warmth was nice, seeping through his clothing and into his skin. He could hear her calm heartbeat, and her hushed breathing. For some odd reason her scent expressed itself more, and not the stench of every human that she had commented on scrubbing off with a bath. Her scent, the one uniquely hers, lingered innocently on her skin as though thousands of small doors were sliding open to express her. He had noticed something similar from Rin at night, but it was much different with a fully ordained female, who was resting in his arms, asleep and trusting him completely.

Sesshōmaru closed his eyes, trying to block out his senses. It was like expecting to jump into a river and walk out dry though. His nature was going to make this very difficult.

The moon progressed across the sky, the night more than halfway done. The _miko_ shifted in his arms, which had him blinking his eyes open. He had not fallen asleep, but he had been on the verge of doing so. He frowned down at the squirming _miko_, and watched as she turned herself around to face him. Her arms were in an uncomfortable tangle between their chests, which she was slowly rousing over with her fussing.

Tired, not wanting to deal with her waking up, he lifted her skyward arm out from between them... and had no idea what to do with it. Her continued squirming soon solved the issue though, as her limb left his hold and landed on his hip. He felt his back and fur stiffen as she hugged him, nuzzling in so close that her head tucked neatly beneath his chin, her nose settling against his neck. Her sigh sent warm curls of air against his throat and down his chest, and he drew his lower lip between his teeth, biting it for a distraction. He tasted blood, and the smell of it served to reset his thoughts. This was no time to think of her as anything but a tool.

That thought helped him relax. This was strictly the means to an end. Settling his arm around her again, he focused on calming himself, and on getting some rest.

* * *

><p>AN: Congratulations on reading through to the end! Please pick up your free, complimentary dear rabbit on the way out.


	3. Cultivate Suspicion

**Step 3 – Cultivate Suspicion**

**By now, you have selected your lover and have prepared one another with the necessary information and history to be successful. When these steps are fully completed, and the both of you are comfortable with one another, it is time for you to strike forth and plant hints of your misdeeds to key members of your audience (which may include your betrothed, both sets of parents, and close friends).**

**It is recommended that you take your time with this. The longer the seeds have to germinate, the larger the fruits that you reap will be, and the more established your relationship with your lover is as opposed to being a 'fling'. Allow ideas to fester, and make the clues easy for you to overlook, fairly obvious to another, and semi-simple to explain away. Discuss ideas for seeds with your lover, unless your levels of intimacy give you plenty to choose from.**

**Some hints we recommend include, for humans, a distinct change of hairstyle after seeing your lover, rumpled clothing, a trace of your lover's cologne or perfume, or missing a sock when you remove your shoes. For _yōkai_, play on your audience's senses, and depending on your age, inquire over your customs in regards to intimacy and relationships.**

**WARNING: If you are in a time press and are running through these steps, please see it as mandatory that neither you nor your lover are being pressed past their comfort zone. These steps work best when taken at a gradual pace, but if you are rushed be sure that neither you nor your lover ends up tripping on overseen details in the near future.**

* * *

><p>"<em>Miko<em>."

The word jostled Kagome's senses into gear, and she immediately sat bolt upright, heart racing and wide-eyed as her gaze darted around. _"This is __**not**__ Kaede's Village..."_

Her eyes locked onto Sesshōmaru standing nearby, and memories from yesterday came crashing back in. She stared at him as facts slowly locked into place, part of her still dreaming. "Did we sleep together?"

He did not move, but one elegant eyebrow slowly began to lift out of that semi-permanent frown of his. "You have accumulated no small amount of debris in your hair, _miko_."

The comment had her frowning a moment. _"This is how day two starts..."_ With mental images of the worst possible things being in her hair, from caterpillars to bird nests, she began fingering through it, brushing through as best she could. _"I didn't wake up at __**all**__ last night. Did we even touch at all?"_

"Leave your grooming for later." Her hands stilled as she refocused on him. "Today I will leave to take care of the particulars of our farce. Gather your things, I will leave you at a hot spring."

For some unexplained reason, the muscles holding her jaw closed decided to take a break. Her expression had him moving his head slightly to the left, eying her, and he inquired over her health. "Eh? No, I'm fine, it's just that..." There was no good conversational path to go down with the material at hand. "I just-" She cut off instantly when he took lightly into hand the hair behind her head, and with that he soon had her looking upward, her adrenaline from waking up threatening her with a heart attack.

"Such deplorable speech," he muttered, kissing her. She blinked. Yes, that was a part of yesterday as well. How humiliating... When he pulled away, a certain degree of satisfaction appeared as he studied her face. "Gather your things."

She was released, and left to stumble around camp, gathering nicely smoked meat and her new 'knife', which she had thrown into the fire to sterilize. The meat she stored in the hanging, pocket-like interior of her sleeves. The rock, thanks to its weight and wedge shape, was nestled between the folded layers of her white _hakui_ over her abdomen, tucked firmly under the tied straps of her _hakama_. Swinging her arms once and swaying on her heels, she decided that things were as good as they would get.

"Okay," she stated with a grin. "I am ready!"

Sesshōmaru gestured for her to come closer, and she did at a slow pace. His expression darkened, and he repeated the gesture, sharply. Suspicious, she hurried over by small increments. This seemed to irritate him, because when she was close he grabbed her sleeve and yanked her up against his front.

"Ow!" she yipped as the side of her chin collided with a point of his armor. It did so again, more softly, as he slipped an arm around the small of her back and pulled her close, holding her in place. Angrily, she planted her palms on the offending mental and pushed as far back as she could, glaring up at him. "Hey! That is **not** how you treat a la- Whoah!" The sensation of movement alerted her, and she looked around. They were floating, and just now leaving the treetops. Her heart began to flutter. "U-um, this is high enough." They went higher, and her palms slid up the armor, fingers hooking over the upper rim with enough force to blanch her knuckles. "Okay, this is pretty high up." They went higher, and she found herself pressing closer and closer to him. "Please, do not go any higher..." she whimpered.

"Doing so will make the journey shorter."

"I would much rather suffer with your personality." There was silence, and she looked up to see him glaring down at her, and her spine stiffened with shock. "N-not that there is anything really **wrong** with it, not with some alterations. SMALL alterations, I am sure!" The land flew past as forward momentum appeared, and she shot her arms around him, wincing her eyes shut. Embracing firmly, getting so close that even her face was pressed against the crossing fabrics at the base of his neck, she could have cried from fear knowing her feet stood only on _yōki_,which was much, much different than being on Kirara's strong, physically present back. Air tore past, her hair going anywhere but by gravity's laws. "Please do not let me fall..."

As though to reassure her, his grip above her waist tightened. She loosened hers in turn, but remained against him, worried. She remembered jumping from heights in feats of stupidity when she was younger, but Inu-Yasha had always been there to catch her, and he always carried her securely on his back when her feet were deemed useless. He carried her trust at the same time. Trusting Sesshōmaru with this, with her very life, was proving to be difficult.

She shifted, the side of her brow rubbing against skin. At that moment, she did not care how inappropriately personable that was. _"... Even if it is, I've got to get comfortable around him. Come on, Kagome, enjoy the attentions of a handsome guy while you can, and help him out only as a coincidental consequence."_ The term handsome rattled around her brain for a noisy minute as her hearing was dominated by gale-force winds.

Eventually they slowed, and descended. Kagome remained as she was until she felt her feet touch the ground, his _yōki_ dissipating. Ground, solid and wonderful, was hers at last! She pulled away, and failed when his free arm clasped her close, his strong hand against the side of her head, pinning her cheek to his torso.

"You have tainted me with the scent of your fear." She marveled at the sound of his voice as it came through his chest and straight into her ear. It was deeper, muffled, but what she heard past the index finger pressed against her face sounded normal, but... different. "You woke afraid. You acted nervous around me.." The thumb braced against her cheek shifted with his fingers, and she panicked with the thought of his claw being so near her eye. "Why?"

"I did not wake up afraid of _you_, I was just startled." She shifted, wanting to move away, and he held her more tightly. He was very strong, and that thought had her heart fluttering. "And I was not nervous before the flight, just suspicious over why I had to get so close."

"You did not trust me to keep you safe." She frowned, more curious over why he would care as opposed to anxious over offending him. "I have provided for you, and have indulged your needs. Is it a failing of humanity to not have faith in a proven protector?"

Blinking, she doubled her efforts to get away. "Sesshōmaru, let me go."

"Answer, _miko_."

"Why should I?" Why was her heart skipping to a silent tune all of a sudden? "You are right, I did not trust you to not drop me. Are you happy now?" Anger stirred when her efforts rendered nothing. "You have given me no reason to trust you with my life! Not only have you tried to take it twice, but you also use my physical safety as a bargaining chip!" He did not care. He **could not **care, and she knew it. Why was he acting differently? Did something happen last night?

"You have aided Inu-Yasha in his attempts to harm me." She faltered at his words. "You have shot a purifying arrow at me. Despite these acts, I have allowed you to live, and even came to your aid when no other could." She recalled these things. Slowly, a sense of guilt began to swell in her. "You know how prideful I am. You have earned my respect, enough so that I would come to you for aid when I need it, when no other could help." His hold loosened, and she pulled back, fixating on him, wondering where the Sesshōmaru she knew had gone to. He appeared somber, and serious, and her heart fluttered again. "Trust me, _miko_. Your fear is insulting."

She stared. Her blood rushed through her, and she felt a little light headed. Something brushed her cheek, and she realized with a small gasp that his hand did not leave her face. "Sesshōmaru...?"

His unwavering attention had her blush, and she glanced away. She tried to turn her face as well, but he easily caught her chin in a gentle grip. With widened eyes she looked up at him, and thought her heart would pound its way out of her chest. Her eyes widened even further when he advanced, shock freezing her.

His lips were warm on hers. A light kiss, not invasive and not greedy. She shifted her lips, and he mimicked her. A warm sensation flooded her, almost too warm in some areas. Wanting to feel that again, she moved her mouth against his, and he responded, then pursued. _"Is this really happening?"_ Part of her quibbled frantically in the back of her mind, but her thoughts felt distant. It was nice. She wanted to feel more.

His hand moved on the small of her back, discretely, curiously. She was curious, too. What was happening? The thought was stored away for another time as her eyelids slid shut. She wanted to feel this way. She wanted to feel even better. Hungrily, she tossed some passion into their moment, her mouth working with a mind of its own and her fingers fearlessly feeling his upper chest. He pulled her in once again, and a thrill shot through her, feverishly hot and chillingly cold all at once as it tingled to her core. Soft silky strands slipped in between her fingers as her hand touched the side of his neck, the curve of his jaw, the lobe of his ear. She did not mind when his hand traveled to the slope of her bottom, or when he lightly grasped the back of her neck to better deepen the kiss. Her nerves were hypersensitive, every little thing thrilling her beyond reason. She was becoming lost in abandonment, lost in a cave that rang with delicious sensation.

Sesshōmaru pulled away.

Startled, her senses coming painfully back, she stared at him. He disentangled himself from her, and stepped back. "That will do."

Kagome frowned, confused. "What will do?"

"This new scent," he answered, completely unfazed by their exchange. "I will return before sunset."

And just like that he was gone. As her mind chewed on the facts, her anger burned in the light of dawning realization. _"He-! He USED me!"_

* * *

><p>Sesshōmaru smirked when a distant shriek of pure rage reached his acute hearing. The <em>miko<em> had begun to lose herself to temptation, and – according to the string of profanity echoing in the distance – refused to take responsibility for her own failings. He would most likely have to settle with her when he returned, but such was not daunting. In fact, after today, having a senseless argument may be a welcomed relief.

Cautiously, he burned away her scent with his _yōki_ in extremely small portions. He stopped when only the suggestion of a hint remained, an amount which would be easy for any bearer to overlook.

As prepared as he could be, he finished the journey in a sphere of _yōki_. The _o-shiro_ was easy to find since he had scouted its location early that morning, needing something to do after his initial attempt to acquire the _miko_'s scent. His thoughts had been restless all morning, and he had found satisfaction in settling on sheer determination. He would achieve his goals, no matter the cost, and it was as simple as that.

The cloud his floating castle generated came into view. In the blink of an eye he shot over it, and passed through the _yōki_ barrier set around the _o-shiro_. Bypassing the broad expanse of courtyard reserved for receiving visitors, he landed in the small, quiet garden set in the center of his private quarters, which were connected to the remainder of the _o-shiro_ merely by a covered _r__ō__ka_ with sliding, rice paper paneled _sh__ōji_.

His landing disturbed the surface of the water feature in the garden, and the _shōji_ lining his quarters shuddered in the air ripples. He waited for the environment to settle, then walked to the polished wood _engawa_ encircling the garden, senses focused on his surroundings. He had a visitor, and she had yet to come forth. Mounting a step of rock, he sensed her stirring, and casually moved to meet her.

Before he could do it himself, the _shōji_ doors slid open thanks to a servant on the inside. The submissive female closed them behind him as well, and he approached his _futon_.

The silver haired, golden eyed female lounging across it was familiar to him. They had known one another for quite some time now; yet she still expected him to return meaningless things like grins, which she offered upon seeing him.

"You return," she commented, rising from the bedding. Her scent plagued the room. She enjoyed occupying it while he was away, and to his immense vexation she had every right to. Without preamble she pressed up against him, smiling and taking hold of his waist with one hand, cupping his cheek with the other. "I have missed you dearly, love."

Offering a flat expression in return, he took her wrist and pulled her hand away from his face. She immediately took her hand back, and began to relinquish him of his armor and weapons. He permitted it, had to, but as she set the final thing aside he crossed his room, avoiding her. Not wishing to act too differently in the face of his future victory, he fell into old habits, ones she knew well, and settled onto his _futon_. Her scent greeted him strongly, rising from the mattress, and he immediately desired to replace it with his, which was a faint undertone in the bedding.

"Where have you been?" she asked lightly, simpering, as she lowered herself to the bed next to him. Her leg slid over one of his, and she assertively pressed him onto his back when he began to roll away. As grating as it was, tradition granted her superiority over him until after mating, mostly for the sake of her physical safety. She slid partway over him, smirking with promise while dragging a claw along the _eri_ collar or his clothing. "Ever the silent type. I find that _very_ appealing."

He looked away, and she turned his face back to her. Leaning in, making every aspect of her femininity obvious as she did so, she claimed his mouth with hers, humming in a very pleasing manner. His hand was grabbed and placed on her waist, and her kisses moved to his jawline, teasing him as she simpered happily to her future alpha. He tilted his head away again, and her lips moved to his ear.

"I know what my male enjoys," she commented seductively, her hands playing along his body as her warm breath curled into his ear. As per usual, her actions had their consequences, and he bit his lip for a distraction.

"None of that," she snapped lightly, pulling his lip from between his teeth and nipping it herself as her hand slipped under the collar of his clothing, smoothing across his skin. "You are such a temperamental pup, Sesshōmaru."

"I am not here for your attentions, Meiling."

"Then you should not have come," she teased. He felt her beginning to tug at the sash around his waist, and sat up. She tried to subdue him, but he was far stronger than her, and merely indulged her antics as acknowledgment of his status between them. She twisted, and sat on his lap before he could stand. "Sesshōmaru, submit to me."

"I have better things to do." She took his chin in hand, a far too familiar gesture, and leaned in, biting his ear. His instincts knew the reprimand, but he ignored them, refusing to yield.

"You have not been home for days," she informed, looking him in the eye and still holding his face in her hand. "How do you expect me to get into heat for us to be mated if you refuse to be here when I need you?"

"Perhaps we will postpone the mating then," he suggested, pushing her off and standing. She was quick to wrap her arms around him from behind.

"Sesshōmaru, I need you," she informed, firm and demanding and yet still tempting. "**Now**."

"I do not require you," he stated, working himself out of the knot she had made of her arms. "If you wish for attention, seek another male."

"You know you are the only one for me." Without restraint, she pinched his bottom before pushing him between the shoulders, making him step forward once. "Fine. Go tend to your interests. But later, you are mine to do with as I please."

He walked away without looking back, and she made a small, flustered 'keh' before the servant closed the _shōji_ behind him. That female was and had been the bane of his existence for close to four years now, ever since his mother urged her to live in Japan. The offered excuse was to allow her time to grow accustomed to the culture and food before having to bear a pup in the new environment, but Sesshōmaru and everyone else knew better. Since coming to stay, that female had made it her life's mission to woo him. After the first winter he had gotten so completely fed up with her that he took off in the spring to meander Japan for two seasons, which happened to be when he decided to resolve the unnecessary difficulties in his life and to grow stronger as quickly as possible. It was also when he found Rin, and met the _miko_ who fearlessly, stupidly tried to foul his plans in his father's grave. As grating as it was, she had succeeded flawlessly.

Entering the main _o-shiro_, he slid open and closed a _shōji_ himself before continuing on his way. A servant spotted him, and hurried to shadow him by some distance. It was an inevitable and easily ignored act. After all, Sesshōmaru was not expected to perform his own services, not when there were females around to impress. The thought almost curled his upper lip with vexation. If Meiling was not enough, over the last year several high status and powerful lords seeking favor sent their female pups to plague Sesshōmaru in the high hopes of ranking soon after Meiling as future mates. In private they squabbled and fought one another. In public-

His thoughts were a curse. Three female entered the _rōka_ he traveled down, coming from a cross-corridor. Without hesitation they veered for him with varying degrees of simpering and attraction on their faces, allowing once-suppressed _yōki _to flow freely. Three he had to deal with, wafting around the _o-shiro_ like the scent of something spoiling, and that was after his mother had turned away the vast majority of 'offerings'. The females coming toward him, gently and bitterly jostling one another if they ever touched, had been permitted not only for their family lineage and status, but also for their innate qualities. Meiling would be his first – if his mother had any say about it – for the sole reason of tying in their slowly growing numbers in Japan to the court in China, which would give him more influence and importance in the future. These females, practically snarling at one another, would each be able to beat Meiling in physical combat though, and they possessed traces of desired qualities, including a member of the only other pack to dapple in the acid clan genetics while said clan acknowledged _inu_ on a friendly level. These females would produce strong, healthy offspring for Sesshōmaru, and none of them were unappealing to say the least.

They stopped ahead of him, effectively blocking the _rōka_ side by side, each one wishing to be seen fully from head to toe. Despite their desire for full visual access, they stood in measured distances from him. The strongest female was permitted to be closer to him by mere inches, and the weakest of the three – who was still substantially strong – stood half a pace behind the furthest forward female. Peeved, he came to a standstill, and they bowed to him in greeting, hands perfectly positioned over their laps.

"Welcome home, Sesshōmaru-_Denka_," the higher status female greeted, rising first from her bow. Unlike Meiling, these females did not have the right of familiarity in dropping his honorific, which served to remind him that the _miko_ still needed to practice recognizing the status' of those around her; particularly his. "We were intent on enjoying our morning tea when you arrived. Would you honor us with your presence?"

Her lack of a lie made it obvious that while all three of them took to their tea at the same time in the mornings, it was most certainly not done in the same room let alone from the same teapot. Suffering their natural dispositions toward one another was one of the least appealing things he could imagine.

"Perhaps another day," he stated. Like Meiling, these females had particular rights to him, being guests in his home for one sole reason. If he had other things to see to, they had to stay out of his way. Meiling, on the other hand, had a right to pull him into bed even if the _o-shiro_ was under attack, but that would change if they were ever mated. The only other exception these females had from Meiling's privileges was a lacking right to violate his privacy in terms of his personal territory and his very personal self. If that did not exist, he would not put it past them for an instant to team up and violate his person at every given opportunity. That would be one of the few things they would assist one another with, to an extent, since their status' would change if they got with his child. Thanks to that fact, they swooned and attempted to woo him every chance they got. It was very vexing.

He smirked at a thought, and their attentions perked hopefully. These females would remove one of their own limbs to get as far with him as the _miko_ had, and she was a very ungrateful human given the circumstances.

"It has been several days," the prettiest, by his preferences, of the three stated dolefully. She was second strongest. "Our patience has earned us a right to your private attentions, which you seem to already be giving to another. Someone we have not met."

She had a sharp nose, picking up on the _miko_'s scent from that distance. As the other two stared at him wide-eyed he pressed onward, and they stepped aside, scenting him.

"Sesshōmaru-_Denka_!" one of them yelled angrily; they all conditioned their voices to be so sweet that in the end they were fairly indistinguishable. "Who is she? What is the meaning of this!"

He ignored them, and only the servant followed in his wake. The females found common grounds in this small discovery, and for show he flared his _yōki_, thoroughly cleaning his scent. That sent them into an angry tizzy as the servant scampered ahead and opened the _shōji_, quickly closing it again and falling in behind Sesshōmaru. He sensed the females hurrying in a particular direction, and smirked.

His wandering led him to the storerooms. Servants bustled around this part of the _o-shiro_, in part for supplies but mostly because their living quarters were located nearby. Deep and respectful bows rippled through their numbers as he made the familiar journey.

"Are you here for another?" an elderly female servant asked merrily, approaching him.

"A complete outfit this time," he stated. Without preamble or questions, the elder nodded and walked alongside him as they moved toward a particular corner of the storerooms.

"Adult sized _zori_," the elder commented, smiling and slowly filling the arms of a servant she had called into the room along with them. "Your ward is a young lady now I imagine? Yes, yes, and she will require _tabi_, and– oh, really, this lovely _obi_ just goes to waste in this room. This _kimono_ matches very nicely with the _obi_," she set the _kimono_ and its complimentary set of _nagajuban_ and _hadajuban_ in the arms of a servant, "and of course we will need the proper hair accessories," which she pulled from the back of the drawer the _kimono_ was stored in, everything contained in a small, firm bottomed silk drawstring purse, and plopped on top of the _kimono_ and _obi_. "Box those up, dear," she ordered the servant, who hurried to the other side of the small room and began doing just that. The elder set her gaze on Sesshōmaru, a knowing smile on her face. "You have not limited me this time."

Normally, he wanted just the _kimono_ as a gift for Rin. "She has made it abundantly clear that she is of age."

"I see," her smile widened mirthfully. "You know the common opinions put upon your late sire. If you are strong enough, then you have my blessing."

He _knew_ that he abolished the remainder of the _miko_'s scent, and while word traveled fast among the servants it was certainly not _that_ fast.

"You seem surprised," she commented kindly. "Do not be. It is obvious that there is someone you are attracted to. Perhaps not fully, perhaps you do not even realize it yet." Her gaze slid to the _kimono_ as it was gently set into the box. "But you are. You may deny it, but you are. I can feel it in these old bones, and I can see when you think of her. That _kimono_ will flatter her nicely, will it not?"

If her words were not unnerving enough, the last statement she made certainly was; it matched his thoughts exactly. Angry, only partially with the elder, mostly with himself, he looked away at some corner of the room, glaring.

"I will take that as a 'yes'," she stated through a small chuckle, receiving the box from the servant, who bowed to her as a superior before doing so to Sesshōmaru, then leaving. The elder rubbed her clawed hand over the wood, smiling. "Cherish it. We all get only one opportunity in life."

Thoroughly disturbed, he took the proffered box and watched as she bowed and then left the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Thinking, he also fingered the lid of the box. It would be mandatory to have this upon revealing the _miko_, but, he wondered, did he want to give it to her?

"_This is not a gift to a lover,"_ he told himself sternly. _"It means nothing."_ He left the servants quarters with the box in hand. It did not take long for a frantic messenger to spot him and come running.

"Sesshōmaru-_Denka_, your mother will see you immediately."

* * *

><p>Kagome was more steamed than the hot spring could ever hope to be, even if it had been boiling. The nerve of that guy, playing with her like that. The nerve of him allowing her to enjoy attentions like that! The nerve of him for doing what was clearly necessary and remaining predictably unfazed by everything!<p>

She dunked her head underwater and screamed, infuriated with him and with herself in a viciously self-feeding cycle. She surfaced with a gasp, and angrily clenched her knees under the water, hating the man in a fury so silent that she could almost hear her clothing drying in the midday sun. Wanting to destroy something, she reached over and took another piece of rabbit jerky, ripping it to pieces as she devoured the meat. She would have to forage, her stomach a little sick of rabbit, but in the meantime it provided fodder to chew on. "GAAAAH! I hate you, Sesshōmaru! I hope something bad happens to you, I really, really do!" She seized three more pieces of jerky.

* * *

><p>"What is the <em>kimono <em>for?"

Sesshōmaru's mother was not prone to theatrics, or emotions in general. And so she sat, sipped her tea, and regarded him with an enviable amount of calm.

"I need not explain myself," he stated, conveniently already peeved.

His mother narrowed her eyes, then sat up straighter, the traditional expression back. "Is it for your human ward? The female?"

After a moment of studying her, he nodded.

"The child I revived, or a new one?"

He furrowed his brow, playing innocence. She was having none of it, and he did not blame her.

"Bring her here."

"Bring who?" he inquired, enjoying this game.

"The female whose scent you bore here. You have two days, Sesshōmaru, to produce this female you have burdened us with." Disgusted, she flicked her hand at him dismissively, looking away. It was difficult not to smirk as he prepared to leave.

"Sesshōmaru."

His turning had him facing Meiling, who appeared remarkably at ease with the three irked females competing for his attention standing behind her. Calm, appearing almost in a bliss, she walked over, took his free arm into hers, and fell in at his side, walking him out of the room.

"I was not going to comment on the scent," she stated once they were clear of the small audience. "I do not mind this little indulgence of yours, so long as it gives you a small taste of what I can offer. A taste you will sample soon."

"I am leaving soon," he stated.

"And you are welcome to," she pulled him down a corridor, in the opposite direction he wished to go. The _rōka _she led him down went directly to his chambers. "After you please me. And retrieve your armor and weapons, of course."

"I am not in the mood," he stated, not looking forward to the rest of the day as her grip tightened on his arm.

"That does not matter," she informed, almost happily. "You _will_ get me into heat, Sesshōmaru, and you will do your best to accomplish that goal today. I will tolerate no less from you."

Begrudging his cultural upbringing, he followed where she led. It was going to be a very long day.

* * *

><p>Kagome foraged close to the hot spring, her clothing freshly rotated to dry in the sun. In the meantime, she had no issues with her nudity, save for when a stick scraped her leg and left a trail of white skin flakes. Besides, she could use a tan where her body never really saw the light of day.<p>

Spotting a familiar plant, she snapped off a decent sized tree branch and began to dig with it. Sweet potatoes were a delicacy in Kaede's Village, so finding one out here was a real treat.

"I'll eat you later," she told it, brushing off dirt. Any edible berries she found were eaten on the spot, and slowly she gathered small vegetables and herbs. Upon arriving back at camp she checked her clothing, turning it to expose damp corners and folds before striking out to set up a cook fire.

"_I need fire..."_

Exasperated, she looked around. The terrain did not seem hospitable for flint-stone.

"I hate doing this," she grumbled quite a bit later, braiding conditioned bark strips together. A variety of wood awaited for the next step, including a board-like chunk of dry bark, a fairly straight stick sharpened to a point on one end with her 'knife', a freshly taken tree branch capable of bending, and another piece of bark with thick moss on one side. Tying off her 'rope', she began notching into the fresh branch grooves for the rope to settle into on both ends of the stick. She left it a little loose, then picked up the pointed stick and twisted the rope around it once. Mossy bark got placed on the ground, her board with a notch cut out of one side balanced on some small stones over the moss, and with a flat river stone in her palm she inserted the point of her stick into the notch, held the top of the stick in place with the flat stone in her hand, and slowly pulled the bow toward her, making the stick rotate.

Five failed attempts later, she decided to use a curved bit of bark in her palm instead, the stone being far too smooth even though its added weight was helpful. After a solid five minutes of sawing the stick in its notch she finally saw a thin tendril of smoke creep out from between the wood contact. Keeping a steady pace and pressure, she eventually spotted a decent sized ember fall from the bark board and onto the moss, where it remained glowing and bright. Stubborn, she continued until another ember joined the first, then carried the small embers over to her ready fire, blowing slowly to keep them hot. After introducing them to a pinch of tinder, she transferred the flame to the fire, and found herself to be quite pleased. A thin slate rock later, and she was cutting up ingredients to fry over the fire, her sweet potato cooking in the heat of a safe hole she dug out under the fire. Adding wood, she ventured to a thin mountain stream she had crossed while scavenging. It was only about six feet wide, but the river bottom cut down deep, populated with small boulders. It was in this stream that she had left some meat to saturate. When she reached for it, intent on her goal, something flashed away in imitation of her hand.

"A fish!" Grinning madly, she waited, and watched as it testily swam back, biting at the meat. It was decently sized, a good ten inches from fin to mouth. Carefully, she sat up, and slowly dipped her toes into the chilly water, on the other side of the fish. It swam away once, and she took that time to stand, one foot on a mini boulder and the other on the shore. Like a bug to light, it came back, exploring her leg before continuing with the rabbit. With her foot numb in mountain water, she slowly dipped in her fingers, reaching down, curving them under the belly of the fish. As it bit again at the fraying meat she yanked up and toward the shore. Dinner went thrashing through the air, landing with a sound 'splat' and flopping around. She allowed it its final moments while gathering her rabbit, then picked the fish up by the gill and happily walked back for damp, its slimy body still flicking with spite and dripping wet. In terms of food, her day was only getting better and better.

She ate well for lunch, rabbit with onion and two complimentary herbs. As the sun descended passed five o'clock she put on her wrap-styled _susoyake _skirt and _hadajuban_, the latter which ended at her waist where the skirt began. The thicker fabric of the exterior of her outfit had an hour or so to go before fully drying. Her fish cooked on the slate rock with berry juice squeezed on top, cooking slowly and nicely. So far, she was having a very good day.

* * *

><p>The clearing smelled faintly of lingering impending doom and despair when Sesshōmaru arrived, and the <em>miko<em> was checking on some fish she was somehow cooking. She turned around, looking at him, then glared and got back to her work, sniffing with disdain.

Setting the box aside, he glanced around her new little camp. She had made a fire tool, and had washed her clothes, the outer layer of which was still drying in the sun. Curious, he examined the clothing she wore, intrigued by the wedge of skin at her back which was exposed whenever she leaned forward to check on something cooking amidst the coals. After a moment she glanced back, and appeared thoroughly displeased while sitting up straight, tugging down the back of her shirt.

"It is rude to stare."

"Most would consider it a compliment." He had been forced to 'compliment' Meiling for quite some time that day, and was in no mood to entertain this virgin's pride. In fact, being in only the first layer of her attire should have humiliated her, because the fabric was far too thin for his eyes, and with the way the fabric clung to the curves of her body-

"What is in the box?"

He very nearly threw the box at her, half desperate for her to cover herself properly. Instead he picked it up, walked it over, and handed it to her. "Consider this a gift."

Her simmering anger faltered as she glanced between the box and him. Setting it down, she slid the lid out of its securing grooves, and gasped. "Oh...!" She picked up the _kimono_, keeping it folded, fingering the silk and the stitched herons on the sleeve. Sesshōmaru was genuinely surprised when she turned a brilliant smile on him. "Can I wear it?"

"In the future," he replied, feeling a misplaced sense of achievement over making her happy.

She whined anxiously, looking at the _kimono_ again. Big blue eyes looked up, pleading. "Please? I have never worn something so nice. I will not get it dirty, I promise!" The longer he remained silent, the more fascinating her behavior became. Soon she was bouncing where she knelt on her heels, grinning hopefully.

"Be patient," he ordered mildly. She deflated, and tucked the _kimono_ away. When she slid the lid shut she flinched, then scurried quickly over to her meal.

"Oh, no, my fish is overcooking!"

Sesshōmaru spoke about the females she would encounter in the future while she ate, picking at the meat with her fingers after moving the rock from over the coals. Her questions were few, and she nodded with comprehension most of the time, which was pleasing. As she ate, she used a stick to pull a fat root out of the fire, rolling it away and leaving it to cool.

"I think I can handle them," she stated honestly, picking up the fish skin and tossing it onto the fire before rolling the root onto her flat stone. She cut it in half with his improvised knife, then into quarters. "Probably not in battle too well, maybe, but I will work around their instincts. They are a little different from a human's, but I understand their jealousy and territorial nature." Steam rose from the root as she cut it into eighths, and she flapped her hand in the air when it got too hot. "Women are like that, too. If I saw a hussy going after my man I would probably chase her out of town with the ugly end of a thick stick." She set the sharp stone aside, frowning. "Actually, women may be worse than your females."

He frowned, thoroughly unconvinced.

She glanced at him, and grinned, picking up a piece of the root and blowing on it as though that would actually cool it down more quickly. She nibbled the exterior as it chilled. "Think about it. Women do look around for a time to find a partner, a mate, and when they find him they keep him. There is no sharing, and if the man wants another woman he must first give up the one he has."

"Humans are monogamous?"

"Eh... Sort of," she replied, taking a full bite and regretting it, breathing air quickly in and out of her mouth to try and cool it. When she could comfortably chew on her cooked root, she tilted her head down to speak, keeping him from seeing her food as she ate. "That depends on the culture. Some are polygamous for a variety of reasons, but I feel sorry for those women."

"Why?"

She glanced at him, then away, swallowing. "How would you feel being one of many males mated to one female? Well, that may work out better, considering a certain male handicap in terms of- never mind, what I am trying to point out is that the love would have to be shared, attention divided, signs of affection spread out, it is just horrible."

"You would get a male," Sesshōmaru summarized, attempting to wrap his mind around what she was saying. One female for many males? In his species, no male would stand for it. "And then expect to keep him by plaguing him with attention and expecting him to dote on you at every given opportunity?"

She slanted an exasperated expression his way. "No. They would go crazy under those circumstances." He completely agreed. "But I would want to know that he is mine, and that I am his. I would want to be able to trust him completely, and to know that he cherishes me, even if he does not express it openly on a daily basis. I would want him to acknowledge me as someone he wants to be with, and for him to value me above all other women. In return for him being my one and only, my perfect choice, my cherished love, I would want him to desire only me, and to respect my love by loving only me." She glanced at him, then laughed under her breath, taking another bite of root. "You probably do not understand that."

"The facts are comprehensible."

"You would not settle for one female," she stated with a certainty, without hesitation, swallowing. "Not when you have a clear right to more. Apparently, after you are mated you will have more throwing themselves at you." She chewed, and remorsefully shook her head, taking another bite.

"Females do not always desire to mate," he stated. "They must first enter their heat, at which point they will not allow their males any sense of privacy."

The _miko_ scoffed, smiling. "Funny. Women can always get pregnant. Maybe that is a reason why we are monogamous."

Always? It was no wonder then why they were so prolific. Sesshōmaru knew that any _yōkai_ male would take interest in his mate when she came into heat, an interest which grew as her heat deepened until it was almost maddening, but to always be in heat?

"You look as though I just proved that the world is square," Kagome commented, watching him. She laughed when he neutralized his expression. "So, tell me about Meiling. What is so horrifying about her that you do not wish to mate her?"

"_For starters, she raped me before allowing me to leave."_ Clearing his throat, he described the female in question, her family history, physical appearance, strengths and weaknesses. As he continued though the _miko_'s expression grew solemn, then a little dark.

"She sounds absolutely perfect for you," the _miko_ stated, actually appearing peeved. "Perfect family history, not too dominant but not weak, pretty, smart, capable, loving... What the hell, Sesshōmaru?"

"We are not compatible," he stated flatly. He had not expected her to choose a side in this.

"Well, then it is your own damned fault," the girl asserted, frowning as she ate some more. "I can **not** compete against her in terms of suitability, and you know it."

"That will not matter."

"It will when I wind up dead," she stated. Then a thought visibly crossed her face. "Huh. Actually, it probably will not, considering your lack of emotions and my inability to feel anything when dead." She cast an evil look at him, full of ill intent. "If I die because of you, I swear that my ghost will haunt you for centuries."

He smirked. "I may enjoy the company, seeing as I will be left out of options if you die."

She stared, then looked away, grumbling something about 'flattering' and 'creepy' as she devoured the remainder of her food. When she finished, she walked over to her _miko_ garb and got dressed, sparing him at last. "Well, teach me some mannerisms."

Several mistakes were made, but overall she took impressively fast to the behaviors. Her bow required small changes, and when he commented that she smiled too much she kept a perfectly flat expression for the remainder of the lesson. When he tried to describe how she would need to walk in a _kimono_ her scent spiked with displeasure, but she practiced, expression remaining perfectly neutral.

The sun began to set, and he grew bored with her exercises, watching her shuffle around the clearing in circles with the restricted steps she would have to use. She stopped in her designated spot, and knelt down, settled into _seiza_ with her feet tucked neatly under her bottom, then stood back up, all done quite elegantly and not with any show of effort or awkwardness. Then she continued her circles.

"That is enough for tonight," he stated in a dull tone.

"Finally!" His eyes widened when she flung out of formality and quite literally collapsed onto the ground, sprawled out and facing the sky. "Oh, _kami_, I will have to do that every _day_?" She sobbed for emphasis, and propped up onto her elbows, staring at him with incredulity. "Mannerisms are _stupid_! They really are!"

"Do not fall apart in such a fashion in public," he warned, smirking.

"Uuuugh...!" She flopped onto her back once again, laying spread out. "My feet are murdering me. How can anyone shuffle around like that all the time?"

"You will have access to _tabi _and smoother surfaces."

"Hm." Her foot twitched to a silent tune. "That may help." A smile split her face, and she got back onto her elbows, crossing her legs. "I did not make a single, kiss-causing accident all night. Are you not proud of me, Sesshōmaru-_sama_?"

"Hm." He was. "You will not have to give me an honorific at the _o-shiro_."

"Really?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

"You will be my lover. As such, a certain amount of familiarity is to be expected. You will acknowledge my status by other means."

She hummed, bobbing her foot again while staring at the darkening sky. "So how frequently will we actually have to put on a show?"

"That will depend."

Her foot twitched faster. "I hope it is infrequent. It would be much easier to simply speak and walk around with you."

"Hm. When we walk together," he explained while on the subject, "you will need to show affection every so often. Take hold of my arm while we walk, or any small act to show attraction."

"I figured," she replied, clutching an invisible something out of the air and pulling it close, nuzzling it. "Oh, my love, how I long to be alone with you again. I miss your strong arms around me!" That sent her into a fit of laughter. From his experience, with the sarcasm taken away it was an acceptable statement. "Oh, my, this could prove to be amusing. When do we go to the _o-shiro_?"

"In two days."

She shot upright, horrified. "**Two days**? That's it? I-!" He got up, and she balked. "Aw, **shit**... I was so close, too!" Thoughts of Meiling trickled in as he took the _miko_'s chin, the act all but habit after having it done to him so many times for such occasions, and she flinched. His descending mouth met with air as she pulled away.

"_Miko_..."

"I- I do not want to." She sulked bitterly, a faint blush lighting her cheeks.

"You must grow accustomed to this."

"Perhaps another day."

The sentence slapped him in the ego. It was the same one he used to deny the three females his attentions earlier that day. She was rejecting him, but she needed to pretend to be his lover. She needed to accept him as her alpha, and to relish in any attentions he chose to show her, not challenge him. Her flat out refusal of him grated at his instincts. Taking her by the back of her neck, he asserted himself in forcing her to face him. She struggled.

"I said 'no'!"

"That is not an option."

"Yes it is!" she bit out, pushing at his chest when he pulled her closer. As a precaution he sealed her from her _ki_, which would not be noticed until she attempted to manipulate it. She writhed in his arms, grunting and smacking his torso while repeating herself.

"You forget your place,_ miko_," he informed, not enjoying her behavior in the least. "If you-"

Without warning she spat, her saliva hitting him in the face. He froze, appalled, and easily restrained her continued squirming. Taking her sleeve into hand, he used it to wipe her offense away, and took his time while desperately trying to reign in his anger. He failed.

The _miko_ yelped as her face met the dirt, her arms and legs being pinned, "If you merely submit," he continued testily, "then the exchange will be brief."

Shock washed over her. Then oddly enough, he sensed it dissipate. "Alright."

He mentally faltered. The _miko_ appeared calm, in control of herself. She did not struggle against him, nor did she seek to change the position he deemed appropriate for her. There was a distant look to her expression though, in the human he was treating as a _yokai_. _"What am I doing?"_ The question had him releasing her as though she burned to the touch.

Slowly, she picked herself up, sitting perfectly still in _seiza_. She looked toward him, dirt clinging to her cheek. "I will name my price now for my services in guaranteeing that you will not be mated."

… He nodded.

"Financial support for Kaede's Village when it is needed," she began in a state of surreal calm, "and monitoring of the city of Edo. Rename Edo to Tokyo, and label it as the capital of Japan. Make sure these thing happen over the next handful of centuries."

Edo was a medium sized _village,_ a day's journey from hers but with better access to the trade route. "I do not hold any sway over Edo."

"Does it look like I care?" she inquired. "You have just under four hundred years as far as I am concerned. Either make it part of your terrain, or strike a bargain with the lord, or do something else. Promise me you will make sure these things happen, and I will submit. I will act perfectly and professionally, and I will make sure that you get what it is you desire. This would not permit you to have your way with me, or to disrespect me. We both have roles to play, and this is the first – and last – time I officially agree to go through with this asinine canine crap, understand?"

Professional. By his definition, that meant she would remove unneeded emotions from their interactions and simply do her job. No more spasmodic fits, no more hesitation, no more reckless anger, no more shyness... This was perfect, he should have been thrilled. Seeing her though, in the state he put her in, it was odd to feel a part of him regret her words.

Emotional hangups and confusion were not something he delighted in. This _was_ good, merely... unexpected. Resolute, he nodded. "I agree to these terms."

A brief nod on her part, and she was walking around the small camp, busying herself with cleaning and sorting. As she worked, he explained the need to keep their scents mingled, saying they would sleep together again that night. She merely bobbed her head again. The silence he should have relished in was beginning to... not annoy him; he could not put an appropriate word to the small ache in his chest. Loss? That was not it, and an absurd idea to begin with. Her fiery spirits and equally flaming temper were a hassle when not directed at an appropriate target – mainly being anyone but him – and nothing more. Perhaps it was a form of confusion? Nothing was amiss or befuddling, save for the mood she was in, which was a little... _disturbing._

The _miko_ finished with her things, glancing around camp to be sure of it. The sun was well past the horizon, the sky a deep blue overhead as the rich colors of sunset chased their source across the land. The girl approached him and stopped four feet away from where he sat, regarding him with a flat expression.

"I will retire now. Feel free to join me when you feel like it." And that was all before she went and curled up near the freshly restocked fire.

Professional, he decided, did not have to be boring. "_Miko_."

A head of raven black hair lifted, looking over at him. "Yes?"

Fire danced hypnotically over her navy blue eyes. What was it he wanted to say?

"Yes, Sesshōmaru-_sama_?"

He glanced away, uncertain of his thoughts. "Do not be in a bad mood for long."

Out of his periphery he saw her stare at him a moment. Then she merely lay back down to go to sleep, making a small clicking noise for some reason.

* * *

><p>"<em>Do not be in a bad mood for long." <em>His words were unexpected, which had her worry slightly, creating an annoying little ache in her chest. She hated worrying, especially over something she had thought to have figured out. By all means, he should not have said that. He should not have felt a need to say it. She had agreed to go along with things, and while she **was** in a bad mood over the new outlook on their arrangements it did not mean that he should have cared about her feelings.

"_Damned confusing hound,"_ she cursed in her head, clicking her thumbnail around her front upper teeth as she thought. Two days... That was not a very long time, and it left her as nervous as any final exam did. More so, actually. This exam not only played with her life, but it could also last for-

She blinked, then frowned in anger at the ember speckled logs. This could last a long time, and she never even bothered to ask yet. What was wrong with her?

"Hey, Se-" She had begun to prop herself up on an elbow again, but faltered when he was not where he had been sitting, and when his hand started slipping over her hip and toward her abdomen. Shock shot through her, and again when he pulled her closer. His armor was gone – which was impressive since she had not heard a thing – and her back was pulled against firm, warm... _male_.

"Yes?"

His strong voice was so close it sent goosebumps marching down her entire side. _"Stop getting flustered, woman!"_ Doing her best to quell emotions, to ignore his strong arm tightening around her, his breath losing itself in her hair, she swallowed and resumed her question. "How long will this take?"

"As long as is necessary."

Mentally pinching herself, trying to find inner peace through all the superficial turmoil he put her through, she pressed. "How long _could_ this take?"

Moments hung in the air, and she used the silence to calm herself. This guy was an asshole, nothing to get excited over. "Perhaps a month."

"_A month..."_ She closed her eyes. _"What a worthwhile waste of my life... At least I made the demands I did."_ As crude as he seemed, she did not think of him as the sort to back out on a promise, which reassured her. Uncomfortable, she shifted against him, trying to figure out how to tuck her arm under her head in a way that would not make it go numb, and not punch him in the face with the action; although that _was_ very tempting.

Warm fingers tucked under her chin, sliding under her face across her cheek and a little into her hair. She stared at matching stripes as her head was lifted, then lowered onto something... nice. When his hand moved away, fitting around her middle again, she realized that she was laying on his arm.

"_Professional." _She settled with little movement. "Thank you."

"Hm."

Chewing her lower lip, she ventured a curiosity. "Will this be a nightly routine?"

"Yes."

"Okay." She curled slightly, making herself smaller. A month. How was she going to pull this off? A day would be too short, a week was manageable, but a month? Perhaps? Maybe it would last for two months, or four, or longer, and just one month was too long. She had no idea how stubborn his betrothed would be, or his mother, or anyone with any influence on his life. If she could just march in there and bypass all customs, just say one thing and get it all over with, she would.

"Sesshōmaru?"

"Yes?"

With only two days to practice, she wanted to be prepared for anything. She wanted to get any hesitation shocked out of her system as opposed to doing her best to suppress it, which she promised to do. A particular request hung heavily onto the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it down, leaving a weight in her stomach. She could not bring herself to speak it with him wrapped around her like that. She would ask tomorrow.

"Never mind." She did her best to fall asleep. It was much easier when his fur flipped around, nestling against her front and keeping her warm. Later on, at the cusp of sleep, she snuggled into it, only a quarter conscious, and hearing a low, pleased growl.

Some obnoxiously loud birds roused Kagome. She had awakened several times that night, thanks to knowing for a fact that he was near and not liking the idea. Wondering if she would see a different color to the sky this time, she slit open one eye. Apparently she had turned onto her back sometime that night, but other than that the only difference was that the fire had completely died. The birds and their activities suggested the coming of day though.

Tired, she wanted to go back to sleep. Worried about the day after this day though, she forced her heavy eyelids to obey her will. They did, at a price. Her curious gaze slid over to Sesshōmaru, who was still laying on his side, his fur bunched under his head and hiding half of his face in fluff. He looked at peace. Relaxed.

Her damned rebellious heart fluttered, and she looked away. The male certainly got her more wakeful, but the side of uncomfortable was not welcomed. So she got up, and slid from his loose grasp to sit nearby, brushing fingers through her hair. He was such a guard dog, always alert, that she doubted he was asleep, even when she had looked at him let alone after she got up. "I would like to go into the hot spring."

He shifted. "You bathed yesterday."

"I know." She combed her fingers through her hair. "I simply assume that you would wish me to smell as clean as I can before we practice anything today. Besides, I am out of rabbit meat."

A weary sigh did not escape her hearing, and he sat up, lifting a knee. "The least you could do is to ask me to hunt for you, not simply imply or expect it."

"My apologies," she said through a yawn at the back of her free hand. It really was presumptuous of her, but she really did not enjoy asking him for favors. "Would you please hunt for me this morning?"

"Hm." He did not sound happy, but she did not expect him to in the first place. Without preamble he got to his feet and walked off, taking his time.

"Please do not look back!" she called after him, hopping to her feet and jogging the short distance to the spring, stripping. The water was the same temperature as yesterday, and she thoroughly enjoyed melting into the warmth after the initial, stinging heat. After a time she picked up a semi-smooth rock nearby and cleaned it off, then scrubbed it against her skin. It was no loofah, but it served its purpose. She scrubbed herself pink in a hurry, then ran her fingers vigorously through her scalp underwater. She dried off with her _hakama_, and hung it to dry while dressing into her under layers and _hakui_.

Breakfast was simple, the eating of it brief, and everything was continuously interrupted by Sesshōmaru lecturing her about the finer points of lover behavior. He recapped that she would have to touch him periodically, willingly, and not be deterred if he brushed her off, and to not take other females and their possible threats seriously.

"I am going to become a home wrecker."

Sesshōmaru looked at her funny. "A what?"

"A home wrecker." She shifted where she sat, thinking on an explanation. "A woman who interrupts the lives of members in a family by going after a man in it."

"'Lover' is a better term."

She huffed a chuckle, smiling slightly. A brief glance revealed him smirking at her. "What?" Immediately his expression shifted back to neutral, which had her chuckling again. "I know I will not enjoy it, but would you mind giving me a thorough taste of what to expect at the _o-shiro_? In terms of what you will do as shows of intimacy. I just do not want to be-" The now almost familiar feel of his hand cupping of her face had her pausing as her gaze fixed to his. "Surprised?"

"On one condition," he stated, leaning in close. "Act as a lover."

Blinking, jerking her mind out of the gutter, she nodded against his palm. He continued to stare at her, not making a move. _"Boy, I am really moving ahead in the world of experience..."_ Offering a sly smile, she cupped his face in turn with one hand, and with her last two fingers hooked slightly around the bend of his jaw she drew him down onto her lips, humming at the contact. She slid her upraised hand down his neck and back into his hair, and parted her lips slightly, offering to deepen the kiss. Her eyes snapped open when he accepted the invitation with impressive enthusiasm, pressing into her while holding her in place. Thanking herself for not waiting until they had an audience, she pressed on, sliding her hand onto his shoulder for support and lifting her second hand up from behind her to work itself into his hair, his continued attentions having her leaning further and further back. His hair was slipping past her cheek moments before she felt herself being settled onto her back.

"Sesshōmaru?" she gasped, breathless. Their activities were not entirely devoid of pleasure, and her heart was racing, body thrilled. A low, dominating growl was her answer as he moved to her neck. He was not doing much. She could handle this. Besides, _inuyōkai_ could be forceful lovers for all she knew. The rational part of her mind stated that the ground served as good 'against the wall' practice. _"I can act through this."_ She tilted her face away from him, exposing her vulnerable neck. His teeth scraped her skin lightly, and she turned her gasp into a groan. His hand slid down her side, and she stroked his chest, her free hand mimicking his and slowly sliding to hold his waist. His body pressed down onto her, the weight sending a thrill through her, one which was all too familiar after these last two days with him. Compared to her, she decided that he was having far too much fun. Turning her head toward his, she took his ear gently between her teeth, exhaling lightly through her nose. That alluring growl came back, and her breast was cupped through her clothing, and squeezed slightly.

She released his ear, shifting under him. "I-is that necessary?"

"Entirely," he replied against her neck, his voice sounding lower, richer.

"_And he calls out **my** species as being-"_ her mind froze when he ground his pelvis against hers, igniting the nerves around her middle and groin, making her body scream for more. "Was _that_ necessary?"

"It happens. Do not talk."

Do not talk? Worry sent a twinge through her, but she forced her eyes closed, forced her concerns aside as he groped her. She could endure this. Strictly speaking, she was designed to. Such attentions were natural between lovers, but in public? _"Think of high school, Kagome. Just think of high school and lockers and under the staircases and-"_ A unique pain began in her neck, and she realized he was giving her a hickey. _"HIGH SCHOOL!"_ She hoped that the uncomfortable moan she gave would pass for pleasure. Getting over herself, she got back into her role. She was supposed to be able to act like his lover, not one of the girls who gawked at the high school students who pressed one another into private corners. She needed to be the flirtatious girl with sensual vibes and desires. Slipping a hand around him, onto his broad, deliciously firm back, she pulled him down forcefully against her and lifted a knee, rubbing her leg against his thigh and hip. Four brilliant pinpricks of pain pierced her neck as he bit her, the remainder of his teeth pressing firmly against her skin. It was, all things considered, a gentle bite, but it still hurt a whole bloody lot where he made her bleed. _"Lover's bite. I'll get him back."_ Deciding on immediate revenge as the side of her neck throbbed, she slid her hand down onto his rump, pulling his pelvis against hers as she pressed up into him, groaning. She hoped he got an unsatisfiable boner for biting her like that.

The rumbling he made echoed in her chest, and she looked at him as he pulled away to stare down at her. _"Oh, the _kami_ guard and protect me...!"_ He had a distant look in his eyes. A hungry look. "Sesshōmaru? Is that necessary?"

His hand knotted in her hair, and she found herself gasping into his mouth, groaning as he bore down on her. His tongue went past her lips as his free hand got to examining her thus far untouched breast. It hurt as he squeezed the fatty tissue, and she learned how halfhearted his previous thrusts were when he pushed himself forcefully against her, making the small of her back arch up into him as she mewled into his mouth. This was getting far too intimate, no matter the species.

Twisting her face away from his, their shared saliva streaking across her cheek, she finally called an end to this. "Sesshōmaru, stop!" He nibbled her ear, the one he had already put a hole into. "STOP!"

He did, in a manner of speaking. His attentions ceased, but he did not move. Breathing heavily beneath him, shaking slightly, she waited, wondering what would happen, reigning in her emotions as best she could. She had done well, she thought, it being her first time and all, but even a virgin knew when things were going too far, and they definitely had been. For precaution she reached for her _ki_, and found herself blocked. It had her whimpering slightly, drawing her lower lip between her teeth, feeling at the crushed and puffy tissue and remembering some very forceful kissing.

"Are you hurt?"

She looked up at him as he pulled away, braced over her, and marveled at the alarm scribbled plainly across his face. He turned her head slightly to the other side, examining where he bit her, and once again bent down to her neck. She winced as he licked the little punctures, his tongue pulling at the skin with every pass. When that uncomfortable part was finished and he was up on hands and knees again, he tugged at the collar of her clothing.

"I can check for bruises elsewhere myself," she assured, tugging the collar back to center.

His expressions were so ridiculously easy to read as he got off from over her, sitting down heavily nearby. He looked to be in awe, and to have regret. "I apologize." She faltered in propping herself up, staring at him. "That has..." he frowned, looking absolutely bewildered, "**never** happened before..."

"You just got carried away," she tried to reassure, wondering if her groin was going to be sore or even bruised. Her breasts would definitely swell a bit from the rough handling. "It happens, even with humans."

"Hm." He grew a little more solemn. "I am not inexperienced, _miko_. I have laid with a female many times before, but _that_..." he trailed off, quite possibly assessing what exactly it was he had done. "I apologize."

"It is fine," she reassured nervously, pulling her hair over one shoulder to spare the bite and gripping it with both hands, allowing them to take turns in running down its length. "You just got carried away. It is normal."

"It is not," he stated, looking over at her with an assessing frown. It was odd how much more affected he was by this than she was.

Clearing her throat and thoughts, she perked up. "Well, on the bright side, there is not much more you can do to really shock me and throw the acting off."

He seemed confused by her calm. "I suppose not..."

"See? Everything happens for a reason." Dear _kami_, she sure hoped so.

The remainder of the day was spent reviewing and exercising yesterday's general lessons along with a handful of new ones, including when to use what titles, how to treat the servants, what her status was in relation to others, how demure she should be and to who, and how she should reply to invitations for personal time with another. He gave her the facts, and also warned that while she was entitled to her position, it did not mean that others would respect it. She would have to defend herself, her honor, and their fake relationship.

"I can not permit my lover to sleep alone," she jested when he offered to leave her be that night, slipping her arms around his waist and giving him a small hug. "I am fine. Really." Gently, he pushed her away, and she frowned up at him. "Are _you_ okay? You have been acting funny all day." He frowned at her, but it was not the full out glare she had expected, not the one he had given her on an hourly basis before that particular incident. She pressed the back of her hand to his brow, shocking him. "Are you sick? Feverish?" He brushed her hand aside. "Because the last time I checked, any man would be thrilled to get off the hook after pulling a stunt like that. _You_, on the other hand, are acting like a little boy who is expecting a thorough beating for his actions, and I have half a mind to oblige if it will make you snap out of it!"

Blinking, he looked down at her as though wondering what was again clinging to his waist.

She sniffed at him, perturbed, and put her head against his chest. He had left his armor off all day, which she highly appreciated given their actions. "I am a virgin, but not a frail flower that will wither and die if handled harshly. In fact, when I find the man of my life I plan on having even more rough fun with him, so get over it."

"You misinterpret," he stated, his hand resting with an almost absentminded manner on the small of her back. "I am not troubled over your condition."

"Hm. Do _inuyōkai_ follow instincts?"

"They are deeply ingrained in us," Sesshōmaru stated.

"And did you," she did not want to offend him, but could not think of better phrasing at the moment, "lose control this morning?"

"... I did."

His fingers twitched on her back, and she gave him a quick squeeze, trying to let him know that everything was okay between them. "Can you control it in the future?"

"Yes. It will not happen again."

It sounded a little like he was giving himself an order. Regardless, she nodded against the rich silk of his clothing. "Well, I am going to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

He nodded, and she smiled after leaning back, patting his chest before walking off. She fell asleep by herself, but woke up later that night with an arm draped around her waist, and slipped back into slumber with a smile on her face.

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><p>AN: Sorry it's taking so long to update these! I just got hammered against an anvil in terms of work load, but hopefully that will not happen too often. At least this update was twenty-three pages. ^_^ Is that too long?

Hope you enjoyed reading, please review!


	4. Introductions

**A/N**: So I was checking out this story's status on this site, and the traffic was interesting. Chapter 2 had 90 visitors, and chapter three had over 150. I sat here scratching my head for a minute, wondering how that made sense, then recalled the _content_ of the last chapter. Lots of re-visits. You guys make me smile, that's all I have to say on that note, haha! XD

Also, just to protect myself, this story's rating has (thanks to this chapter; I refuse to accept that the last chapter's content breached T considering high school AND junior high school students these days) hopped up from T to M.

Personally, I was raised as an open minded child who had things pointed out and described to her in a good/understanding light, like breast feeding and public groping, as opposed to having my head turned in the other direction (and no, exposing children has no negative results, I'm 24 and have still not had any of the good stuff). HOWEVER, there are some people who may go "CENSOR!" at some content and risk reporting and getting my story deleted. Anal buggers... And as far as 'T: anything that you can post on public TV' goes, I've seen bits of True Blood, and that particular scene on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I must admit that in that light the limitation is rather... vague.

So, yeah, an author's note to possibly save my butt, and anyone's preciously untainted mind. Please, to anyone who is 'mature', read and enjoy the story. :) And give me feedback! I'll reply to it if it's over two sentences long. :D

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><p><strong>Step 4 – Introductions<strong>

**It is finally time to make the big move. By now, you and your lover are ready and the stage is properly prepared, so loop arms and walk out into the spotlight. For the first few days things will be hectic – you will both be pestered with questions, accusations, demands and insults – but you and your lover can always find strength in one another. Do not try and dominate the stage, but share it, and improve your act as you go. You have no script to go off of, so learn one another well and be able to improvise in unison.**

**WARNING: Make sure to keep an eye on your lover. Your species may have certain codes of honor, but when you get down to it a female will always act like a female.**

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><p>Kagome was nervous, sitting with only the top of her head exposed, keeping a pointed stare fixed at Sesshōmaru who was standing with his back to her. <em>"This is humiliating. He could have left and let me have some more privacy..."<em> With a bubble causing groan she slipped out of the hot spring with splashes of water, dripping wet, and dried off with the interior of her _hakama_, trying to keep herself covered while doing so. The _daiyōkai_ never looked back, but despite his limited respect she hurriedly snatched up the _hadajuban_ and its sash, shaking it out of its fold. Looking at it for the first time unfolded, her eyes widened. The fabric was practically see through!

"Are you almost finished?"

"I am _not_ wearing just this!" she yipped, throwing the sheer fabric over herself. Even with the sun setting on their last day to practice, she could see the color of her nipples through the fabric! "Hand me the next layer."

"I will have to make alterations to your clothing regardless."

"Just give me the damned _juban_!"

Carelessly, he kicked the box toward her with his heel, sending it skidding and jostling until it stopped precisely at her feet. _"He has no right to be that cool."_ Muttering to herself, she grabbed the _nagajuban_ while holding an arm over her chest, casting several glances up to make sure he would not look. She barely threw it on and closed the front before he turned around, impatient. He frowned at her as she maneuvered the sash up around her waist, ready to tie it.

"What?"

Of all things, he smirked. "We are not dressing a corpse."

Confused, she looked down at her clothing, and cursed inside. She had crossed the lapels incorrectly. "I knew that." Said lapels were taken into his clawed hands, and with a furious blush she clasped her arms to her chest and swung around, offering her back. "I can change it!" She flung open both layers, and crossed the _eri_ properly, right under left. She tied the _hadajuban_ closed first, then arranged the _nagajuban_. Before she even began to tie the final layer closed, Sesshōmaru brushed her hair aside and began tugging on the back of her collar, the _emon _settling at the base of her neck, making the air curl against her skin. "What are you doing?"

"It hangs away from the neck," he stated, pulling the fabric some more. "This would be much easier if you were not so bashful."

"Hey, I am being hired as an actress, not as a striptease," she told him, tugging up at the front around the thin sashes to loosen the fabric more. He held it in place at her shoulders as she arranged the front and tied things together for a third time, finally getting somewhere. When she turned around though, he offered a disappointed expression.

"You have never properly worn a _kimono_ before, have you."

She rolled her eyes. "What is it _this_ time?"

Without preamble he took hold of her outer sash and jostled it.

"Hey!" she yipped, getting her auto-piloting hands smacked away.

"Hold your arms straight out. I need to adjust this."

"Adjust it where?"

"It needs to be a little under your breasts." Her hands got smacked away again, and he directed a firm glare at her. "Be compliant!"

Her arms flung out straight when he snarled at her. The male was quite terrifying when he wished to be. After a moment he seemed satisfied, and continued what he was doing. After some futile attempts he finally held her clothing in place with one hand on her sternum, his claws settling near her throat, and untied her sloppy knot – _his_ voiced impression of it, not hers – before sliding the strap up higher and knotting it again in a series of complicated twists and tucks. "Are the _tamoto_ of the _hadajuban_ hanging properly in the _nagajuban_?"

"What?"

He sighed through his nose, expression unchanging, and finished with her front after tugging the _eri_ into an appealing fold, then took her wrists – _"His arms are long..."_ – and pulled her arms a bit forward, giving him access down her sleeves. She blushed as he dug for the _hadajuban_'slittle rumpled sleeve, his own sleeve being pushed back by hers so his bare arm rubbed along her skin as he worked. He did the same with the other side, and jerked again at the front of her _juban_, getting things settled in alignment. When that was done, and he nodded in satisfaction when it was, he picked up a wide, thin band of red fabric from the box, its color matching the _eri_ of her outer layer, the only part of it which would be seen. This fabric was put up against her middle, and he bent to reach around her.

"You have experience with _kimono_?" she asked, turning her head away from his hair as he fiddled with something at her back.

"Obviously," he answered, pulling away with the sash, called the _datemaki_, still in hand, she watched as he turned the flat fabric into a tight elegant twist over her middle, making it a narrow and appealing design over the first layer of the _datemaki_.

"Why is that?"

He tucked the loose ends away. "Typically, I happened to be the one to take it off."

Her cheeks deepened to a brilliant red, and her gaze flickered quickly to and from him. "Oh."

"And I have three older female siblings. I was not spared from learning the finer points of dressing a female."

That had her smiling nervously, feeling amused, as he picked up the _kimono_, unfolding and opening it. It really was beautiful, a dark blue silk with orange, white and yellow blotched koi fish designed on it and on the long hanging sleeves, which labeled it as a _furisode kimono_. The _obi_ would go well with the outfit, offering red, orange and yellow patterns throughout it. He held out the _kimono_ for her, and with a small smile she turned and slipped her arms into it, relishing in the rich weight of the fabric, guiltily enjoying the feel of his strong hands as they smoothed along her shoulders, settling the fabric. He walked around her, and tucked the hanging _tamoto_ of her _juban_ into the sleeves of her _kimono_, then checked the position of all three _emon_ at the back of her neck. Satisfied, he folded the _eri_ into place over her chest, creating no opportunity for wrinkles as his hands slid over her breasts and down to the _eri-saki_. After yesterday, it did not phase her as much, but she still blushed slightly, and her chest was still sore about its treatment. A thin sash, the _makura-obi_, went around her waist as she held the _kimono_ in place, being tied lower than the other layers of sashes.

"Hold your arms up."

Kagome complied, and marveled as he pinched the fabric of the _kimono_ and began to lift it up. "What are you doing?"

"Adjusting the length," he supplied, focused on his work.

"Will this bunch up the _juban_?"

"No. It is secured, and will settle with the _kimono_." She endured the hassle, noticing that the _makura-obi_ sash stayed in place as he did this, feeling the _juban_ wriggle up her legs with the _kimono_. Eventually she felt a draft over her bare toes, and he began to fold the fabric down over the _makura-obi_ to create an overlaying fold of fabric around her middle. "Arms out."

She complied, and he tucked his clawed hands into the _yatsuguchi_ vents in the sides of the _kimono_ under her armpits. She felt him push the fabric down into a smooth fold, his actions tugging down the fabric at her shoulders and at the _makura-obi_ secured around her waist. When the back was settled into a fold he walked behind her and did the same for her front as opposed to disrupting the _eri_ alignment by working through the folds of the _eri_.

"I have always wondered about that part," she commented as he took up a thin cord and an orange sash from the box, the latter bearing remarkable resemblance to the _datemaki_. It was the _datejime_, and after he secured the _munehimo_ cord a short distance beneath her breasts the _datejime_ was tied over it, the same twisting knot given to it after he wrapped it around her waist once.

"This is very tedious," she commented, feeling at the layers of secured clothing around her as he picked up the large, decorative and flashy _honobi_. He also took up a long rope cord, a silky scarf-like length of fabric, a fabric with what looked to be an expanse of flat firm board sewn into it, and what looked like a small pillow. Three of these things he handed over for her to hold as she held her arms out again. "Thank you for doing this."

"Hm." He kept the _honobi_, placing the indeed flat and firm board, called the _obi-ita_, against her middle and tying it in place at her back. When she asked what it was he explained that it would keep the _obi_ from wrinkling throughout the day. The beautiful _honobi_ was unfolded, and he began to wrap it around her waist. To her surprise he kept a length of it out of the wrapping, setting it over her shoulder where it hung down almost over the coils of itself. Her mind wandered as he worked, tightening the _honobi_ and fiddling quickly with it in the back. The scarf-like fabric, called an _obi-age_, was plucked from her pinched fingers and used to tie the upper part of the _honobi_ in place at her back, the length of it hanging down against her calves as he reached around her front to fold the colorful _obi-age_ first under her obi, then the other side into the outer lapel of her firmly secured _kimono_. She found herself smiling as her outfit began to resemble the pictures she had ogled at when she was younger. His pulls and manipulations of the _honobi_ continued, and he took the pillow-like item, the _obi-makura_, from her next. A minute later he walked around her, examining his work, then took the braided silk _obi-jime_ cord from her, freeing her hands, and slipped it around her waist, through the _otaiko_ knot at her back, and knotted it at her front in the traditional manner in the middle of the _honobi_, taking the remaining ends and laying them parallel to the rest of the _obi-jime_ before having her lift her arms again so as to tuck the ends neatly under the main body of the cord.

Finally he stepped back, eying her for flaws. She smiled, and didn't exactly know what to do with her hands as he scrutinized her attire, and looked down at the rich silks. "How does it look?"

"Hm. Beautiful."

Surprised, she looked up to see him staring at her face. Blushing, she looked away, a grin coming into existence without her permission. Wanting a distraction, she felt at the _otaiko_ knot behind her and tried to picture what the ruffled rims sticking out to either side looked like. It felt elaborate, and fancy. "I am glad. What now?"

Next, he had her stand and hold open a small, firm-bottomed silk bag of some sort, drawstrings forced open. She picked through and stared at different items as he combed through her hair, and marveled over a fine gold hairpiece comb and two matching pins with jade beads hanging from them as decoration.

"Oh, how pretty! Is it real?"

"Of course it is real," he stated, and she felt his fingers brush through her hair, gathering it back. Small amounts of _yōki_ seemed to leak from him, and she ignored her anxious _ki_. In fact, since she had always enjoyed having her hair brushed and messed with, she found herself humming while tracing the smooth edges of the cool metal hair ornament, the pins propped in the purse from which he withdrew short fabric ties as needed. Fairly quickly he took the ornament from her hands, making her blink at its sudden disappearance as it tucked into her hair, and he also took the pins, leaving only the comb in the small bag which happened to match her outfit. Grinning, she lifted her hands to feel around her hair once he was done, and found it tied back simply, the waves of her thick hair spilling down her back. In the last three years she never cut it, so it was considerably longer than when she had visited the feudal era on a regular basis. Her hair hung down her back, and the ornament and pins were tucked in front of the ties and close against the back of her head. For some reason the tresses were not only dry, but also loosely curled. _"I should write a book on the uses of _yōki_."_

Grinning, she gave her head a little shake, and felt the hanging beads swing. She directed that grin to Sesshōmaru, absolutely thrilled. "Thank you so much! I wish I could see myself." She ran her hands down her body again, long hanging sleeves feeling nice and heavy, the contours of her body properly restrained by the layers of tight fabric. She knew that wearing that she hardly had any curves, whether it was in her chest, waist, or bottom, but that was how _kimono_ were supposed to be.

It took some convincing, but eventually she lost and found herself holding _tabi_ socks and _zori_ shoes and the box now holding all of her _miko_ garb in her lap as Sesshōmaru carried her in his arms to the stream she caught the fish in. She did not personally believe that word would spread about her _tabi_ smelling like dirt, but his insistence had her breaking down to his will, grumbling the whole while. When he set her down on her feet by the river he shocked her by kneeling down, asking her to stabilize on his shoulder should she need to. She did so, lightly, and shifted her balance to one foot when he grabbed the first, holding it slightly to the side so as to spare her laid out _zori_ from splashes.

"_Here I am,"_ she thought, bent forward slightly, holding his toned deltoid muscle as he worked, _"a _miko_ in a _furisode_, getting my feet washed by a powerful, high ranking _inugami daiyōkai_."_ It actually felt really good, and made her think of other, raunchier things until she banished the thoughts. She kept her feet clean just out of principle, but he was a perfectionist, working his hands around her toes and rinsing away any trace of dirt off from the bottom of her foot. Once done, her foot was left to drip-dry for a few moments before he put her first _tabi_ on for her, wrapping and tying it around her ankle, and helped guide her foot into the _zori_ sandal. Then the process was repeated, until she stood a little unstable on _zori_ feet in a completed _furisode kimono_ outfit, purse and hair ornaments included.

"Okay," she began, taking a deep breath. Her hand remained on his shoulder as he stood, and she hoped he knew how much she appreciated him at that moment. "I am as ready as I will ever be."

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><p>As they neared the <em>o-shiro <em>through the night, the _miko_ began showing more faith in him, soon having no qualms standing at his side as they traveled on _yōki_, holding his arm lightly clutching the box near her chest. She refused to leave her clothing in the clearing, and until she saw the sense in doing otherwise she had been ready to take her fire making tools as well.

The young female glanced up at him through her lashes as he sent a wave of _yōki_ ahead of them, making a proper announcement. She made no comment though, and directed a solemn stare forward once more. Nervousness rippled through her just under the surface, and she took another deep breath.

"You will do well."

"You think so?"

"Yes."

Her hold on him tightened briefly, and she permitted herself a small smile. "Thank you. That helps."

They arrived, and he had little difficulty getting her through the barrier of the _o-shiro_, the whole floating castle bathed in moonlight. As expected, attendants were lined up along the courtyard, forty in total alternating between male and female, standing in a perfect line which led directly to his mother, who was sitting regally on the massive chair reserved for receiving arrivals. Sesshōmaru bypassed the stairs, on which were lined armored guards bearing halberds and swords as well as the crescent moon of Sesshōmaru's pack.

The _miko_ stepped off of the _yōki_ cloud in perfect timing with him, and kept her chin level with the courtyard, her eyes fixed straight ahead. When Rin first came there, she was staring in every direction possible and awing over every little detail. The _miko_ walked at his side as though she had watched over it being built. Her scent was calm, and focused, and her steps were measured and graceful, toes pointing properly inward. As they walked the servants bowed to them, and Sesshōmaru was very satisfied that his scent emanated so strongly from the clothing he dressed her in. It would have been better if he had handled her under layers as well, making their scents mingle faster.

They came to a stop a short distance before his mother, and bowed at varying degrees in acknowledgment, Kagome bending to the precise angle he had taught her, holding it for two seconds, then rising smoothly out of it.

"Welcome home, Sesshōmaru," his mother greeted mildly, passing her gaze over Kagome momentarily before ignoring her completely. "So, this is your new hobby. A pretty little thing I suppose, but nothing more." She glanced over to a servant. "Arrange a room for her, and see to it that her possessions are taken care of."

"She will remain with me," Sesshōmaru stated firmly, slipping his hand around the _miko_'s waist and pulling her close against him. "Before dismissing her, I highly recommend acknowledging her, mother, as a guest in our home, and to grant her the rights due to her."

His mother was tactically placed in a corner in terms of her remaining options. Finally, she smirked, the curve of her lips ever so slight. "Very well. What is the name of your indulgence?"

"Kagome," the _miko_ offered, staring straight into his mother's eyes without showing any fear. "Higurashi Kagome, _Heika_."

Sesshōmaru kept his surprise to himself. He never would have guessed that she had two names. Anyone of importance there had anywhere from four to six given names, but she was only human. With her status, she should have had only one name.

"Higurashi Kagome," his mother repeated, sounding bored. "Your name is too strong for my liking. It lacks elegance. You may go by another name in my _o-shiro_ should you like to."

"My thanks," the _miko_ replied mildly. "I will decline your generous offer."

His mother nodded. "At least she is humble. Very well. I acknowledge Higurashi Kagome as a consort of my son Sesshōmaru, and approve of her station during her stay here." His mother adopted a smile which he was sure she indented to pass off as delightful, but it was more 'promising' than anything else. "Is that all, son?"

"Indeed." He bowed to her, and Kagome did the same before following his lead, gently taking his arm as they walked for his quarters. Servants peeked at them, curious, and along that short distance Sesshōmaru spotted the three females pining for his attentions, and they glared at the _miko_ who held happily onto his arm. When the servant who fell in behind them opened the _shōji_ to his quarters, Sesshōmaru dismissed the attendant and followed the _miko_ inside.

"Sesshōmaru," the girl began, maintaining her elegant mannerisms. "You never told me that your mother was such a delight. I should like to have tea with her in the near future, if you do not mind."

She was being sarcastic. Luckily for them, it sounded sincere when you could not see how forcefully she spoke through her teeth.

"Oh come now, is this pretty little thing really it?"

The _miko_ stiffened, surprised, but plastered merriment on her face like _geisha_ paint and turned to the open _shōji_,and the female lounging against the frame.

"Hm," Meiling hummed, coming closer and viewing the _miko_. "Her eyes are rather peculiar, for a human." Sesshōmaru stepped back, allowing the females to interact. The _miko_, shorter by inches than any of the females chasing him, stood perfectly still, watching Meiling by turning only her eyes as the female circled the curiosity her mate-to-be brought. "Her powers are fairly impressive. May we snack on her, Sesshōmaru, before making a pup?"

"Oh," the _miko_ began with a small grin, nodding at Sesshōmaru in a 'you have got to be joking' manner, "I _really_ like **this** one. She has some spunk."

"Spunk?" Meiling inquired, coming full circle and standing before the _miko_. "Do enlighten me on the finer points of human 'language', dear _miko_."

"Ah, yes," the _miko_ began, kindness abounding. "Where are my manners. Please, should I forget in the future, remind me to fill you in where you have shortcomings in comprehension. 'Spunk' is a word we humans use to identify those with a personality different from that of the speaker's. In this case though, the word is used through grammatical indications to indicate that my first impression of your personality is unsavory and childish compared to mine, the speaker." The _miko_ appeared to be in favorable spirits as she glanced between the only other two occupants in the room, quite delighted with life and bearing the innocence of a newborn. Sesshōmaru would never have believe her to be able to say such a sentence from the top of her head. "My apologies, did I use another human language term, or was I direct enough to grasp your understanding?"

"It has been grasped," Meiling replied, a touch bitter. "I have underestimated your indulgence, Sesshōmaru. What is her name?"

"He need not speak for me," the _miko_ butted in with a small laugh. "Again, my apologies for such rudeness. My name is Kagome, Higurashi Kagome, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"The pleasure is all mine, I am sure," Meiling replied. "You may call me Meiling-_sama_."

"Why impose such formality on friendship, Meiling-_chan_?" the _miko_ audaciously questioned. Sesshōmaru laughed inside with disbelief. "I would much rather make friends than acquaintances. Would you care to join me tomorrow for tea, Meiling-_chan_? I should very much like to learn more about you."

"I am free tonight," Meiling offered through her teeth, 'smiling'.

"As thrilling as the thought of entertaining you is," the _miko _began with a gracious grin, "I must ask that you depart for the evening, and inform me on when you may be available for tea at another time. I am weary, and plan to sleep well tonight, with the company of no one; other than my lover, of course."

"And what right do you believe to have in claiming this room?" Meiling asked mildly. Both she and Sesshōmaru waited for the answer, the tension between the two females taunt enough to strike a note from.

"Every right," the _miko_ replied, as calm as a frozen pond. "After all, I **am** his lover. I am the one who was invited here by the resident of these quarters, and it is to a bed I occupy that he willingly comes." Offering a small smirk, the young female pretending to be his lover glanced over to him, ignoring Meiling and offering him a lovely smile. "He chose to be with me. And I choose to be with him. Otherwise I would not be here." She addressed Meiling again, bowing her head slightly. "I thank you for understanding this delicate issue, and where it places your claims on my lover. On our behalf, I request that you leave immediately, and that you ask for permission to enter these rooms from now on."

As silly as it was, Sesshōmaru actually took great pride in his false lover's methods. There was no certain cultural claim she had over him, but she related and communicated with Meiling as one female to another, and seemed to have struck home a solid point.

Meiling looked up at him, barely moving her head to do so. When he made no move to return the glance, she regarded the _miko_ again and smirked, bowing her head in return. "Very well. We shall see how long this lasts."

"I thank you kindly," the _miko_ replied, sounding on the verge of a giggle while bowing her head again. Meiling spared him one final glance, then regally carried herself out of his chambers.

The _shōji _closed, and she made her way down the long _rōka_.

"Are we alone, love?"

"Yes."

The _miko_ exhaled, a distraught look on her face as she walked to the table in the center of the room and sat down – _on_ it – gripping its edge and finally setting her box aside. "Sesshōmaru, I have full faith that these females of yours are going to end up killing me. And your mother will pay for a mural of the blood bath to be stitched in the finest of silks."

He chuckled, taking a seat next to her. "You did well."

"Yes. It should be a lovely mural... Make sure of it, would you?"

"For introductions," he clarified. "You will leave a lasting impression."

"Yes," she replied, staring into the distance. "That is because sometimes I use a yellow-hot branding iron in lieu of ink and paper to offer my signature when I meet new people." She had to describe what a branding iron was. He became very partial to the idea of permanently marking one's territory in such a bold and assertive manner.

The _miko _tried in vain to gouge her eyes out with her palms, and ended up putting her elbows on her knees and her brow in her hands, yawning. "I can **not** believe you had me running laps today while reciting facts. For over _hours_... Then practically throwing me into the hot spring." Suddenly appearing quite tired, she looked up at him. "You know, I would blame more of these little personality blemishes of yours on your upbringing, but a part of me suspects that you do some things just for the sake of your own amusement."

He had to admit, it had taken some time for her weariness to outweigh her irritation earlier that day as she ran, practically yelling answers to his questions. "You came here with a clean, fresh scent thanks to your efforts," he explained once again. "It was only coincidental that your efforts happened to be amusing."

The _miko_ sighed, examining the _shōji_ lined room. "So, I will be staying here..."

"Yes."

"With you."

"Yes."

"For possibly a month."

"Indeed."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I do not think I stated enough requirements to satisfy what you owe me..."

"You really must be exhausted then," he stated, standing. "I will assist you in disrobing. You may sleep in one of my _yukata_ tonight. I will have the servants bring clothing and supplies for your future use while you sleep."

A nod later, and she followed as he led her to the room Meiling had exited to find them. "Oh, wow, that is a gigantic _futon_."

"I have never seen it as being big enough for two," he shared, dreading to find Meiling's scent in it again.

"I do not take up much space," the _miko_ stated wearily, lifting her arms straight out and facing him. "Please disrobe me. This clothing is exceedingly restrictive."

He did, tossing things aside as the fabrics unraveled. When he completely removed her _honobi_ though she began to take over, asking for a _yukata_ as she pulled the rich fabric of the _kimono_ from her narrow shoulders and into the crooks of her arms. A part of him wished to watch her shed the layers of her clothing. The rest of him made a dignified beeline for a _yukata_.

"Thank you," she muttered as he set the clothing on the edge of the _futon_ for when she was ready. The final sash holding her _nagajuban_ in place finally came undone, and the clothing over the sheer layer on her skin loosened in a tempting manner. "… Sesshōmaru."

Her irritable tone had him looking up after following the sash's descent to the floor, and found her staring with sharpened patience as he sat next to the _yukata_ on the edge of his bedding. With a small sigh – really, he should be able to do anything in his own chambers – he got up and exited the room, listening a moment as she continued to undress. Deciding to busy himself, he walked out and down the length of the _rōka_, opening the _shōji _himself, and found a servant quite quickly. After a few minutes of relaying orders he made his way back to his quarters, wondering how long it would take for the _miko_'s scent to burrow into the very floors of his rooms. Not that he wished it to, of course. Simply a passing curiosity.

"There you are," she 'greeted' him as he slid open the door, holding out her arms to display the _yukata_. "I just wanted to tell you that you are a _very_ big boy!"

He smirked, his _yukata_ hanging off of her, trailing on the floor a short distance behind and exposing her legs to the knee as a result. Very fine legs. He distinctly remembered one rubbing up his side, and her hands, attached to delicately tinted arms with longer than average sleeves on, running through his hair as she moaned and pressed her groin up against him.

He blinked. Did his mind really just wander off like that? Back to the ridiculously oversized _yukata_. "Will it suffice for the night?"

"Are you kidding?" she asked, grinning and gathering up the fabric, tugging the _eri_ back into place and tightening the simple male _obi_. "I love baggy clothes. They are so much warmer when you sleep."

An article of clothing which would please her came to mind, and he stored it away. "Good. Would you like tea before bed?" All the females he knew did.

The _miko_ shook her head. "Nah." A thought visibly crossed both her mind and her face. "But, I could do with knowing where to relieve myself."

That was an unexpected issue. "Immediately?"

She pouted at him. "Well, no, I can hold it overnight if a special room does not exist for it.

"There are a few," he offered. "Mainly located in the servant's quarters."

"I do not mind walking."

"_I_ mind you walking."

"It is not as though I am _pregnant_," she scoffed, crossing her arms. "I can go any reasonable distance to go pee."

"I am not saying you are physically incapable. I merely do not wish you to associate yourself with the servants."

She sighed. "You are so status tedious. I personally do not care, but if you do then by all means make my life difficult. I will have to go when I wake up though, and on average twice a day, so please figure something out by morning if you wish to limit my wanderings, okay?"

"Hm."

Watching him, her mood slipped into an easier going one as she went from crossed arms to hugging herself. "I did well today?"

"Very well."

"Will tomorrow be more difficult?"

"Yes."

She nodded, then walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him for no obvious reason. "Good night. I will see you tomorrow." And with that she left for the _futon_, closing the _shōji_ behind her. After pondering her actions and how they were similar to Rin's – was a need for physical touch a human thing, or simply a quirk? Perhaps a human _female_ quirk – he began to methodically burn Meiling's scent away with his _yōki_,replacing it. Time passed, and he noted the moon's light traveling across the _tatami_ floor.

A stream of servants approached. He ceased his efforts and had a seat at the table the _miko_ had sat upon. Soon his rooms were politely violated with armloads of female clothing and accessories, the servants bowing to him over their burdens before silently entering the _miko_'s place of rest.

"Ah, the young lady is in," the elderly head servant commented, bowing to Sesshōmaru and having a seat across the table from him, monitoring the flow of her minions. A young female followed her, standing nearby and silent. "She has stirred up quite the commotion in our quarters. I hear that she is a fine beauty, and a _miko_ at that." She directed her weathered face at him, smiling. "I must admit, if you planned on outdoing your father in every possible way you are on the right path, Sesshōmaru _Denka_."

"Hm." He looked away from her, her previous words still haunting him. "I would also like her to have a _kaimaki_."

"Oh, I added a few of those in with her _nemaki _and _yukata_. Humans really are terrible at regulating their own body temperatures, particularly at night."

"You know about them?" Sesshōmaru inquired.

"Oh yes. My great grandson is mated to a human, in a village on the western coastline. She is a fine young thing, and keeps him in line while I am not around to do so."

"Is he full-blooded?"

"He is all _inu_. And his children are adorable little mongrels, the _kami_ bless his mate for providing me with such sweet young pups to dote on whenever I leave the _o-shiro_."

A passing curiosity tickled its way out of him. "Is he content with one mate?"

"She is worth twenty of the typical options we leave our males with," the elder sighed. "And her cooking is quite good."

Sesshōmaru smirked to himself. The _miko _was most likely terrible at cooking, taking into account her absentmindedness. "My lover-"

"What is her name?"

He paused, frowning momentarily over being interrupted. "Her name is Kagome." It was not as terrible to say as he thought it would be. The elder nodded, and he continued. "Kagome will need to relieve herself on a regular basis."

"Well, that is obvious," the elder chuckled. "What goes in must come out, and since you told us she needs three meals a day I would expect her to expel it one way or another. I will set some servants to work on preparing for her future needs as well. My dear sweet great granddaughter-in-law has told me all about their monthly plights, so reassure Kagome _Hidenka_ for me that I will be ready when hers arrive."

This puzzled Sesshōmaru, but he refused to ask and expose his ignorance.

"Oh! I almost forgot," the elder piped in, summoning the young female forward. "This is Chiro. She can act as Kagome's personal maid during her stay here."

At being named, the servant bowed with great respect, and blushed at seeing him. She was recently of age, meaning her instincts would be a little hectic for the next few decades. "Good evening, Sesshōmaru _Denka_."

"When does Kagome typically rise?" the elder inquired.

"When the sun is double its height on the horizon," Sesshōmaru informed, guessing, and watched Chiro nod to confirm having heard the information.

The elder waved the servant off, and when they were 'alone', with servants still carrying in clothing, Sesshōmaru decided to ask another question. "How quickly did she bear pups?"

"Oh, immediately," the elder replied, smiling over the returning subject. "She is such a productive little thing. Very fertile, like most human females. Are you having difficulties, Sesshōmaru _Denka_?"

Everything about the _miko _could be classified of late as a difficulty. "You could say that."

"It may be because of what she is. Do not be surprised if she repels you on instinct alone. Perhaps if you suppress her energy, she will get and stay with pup more easily for you." The elder gave him a knowing smile. "Or perhaps you should woo her to your bed. More often than you normally do, of course."

Sesshōmaru really needed to stop pursuing conversations with this unnervingly knowledgeable female. "Perhaps."

As though sensing that her presence was no longer welcomed, the elder stood and bowed to him, then wandered off to see how the sorting of clothing was going. It was not long afterward that she was hustling her crew out and down the long hallway connecting his quarters to the rest of the floating _o-shiro_.

"Sleep well, Sesshōmaru _Denka_," the elder bid, bowing properly before closing the _shōji_ and following the servants.

Sitting where he was, wondering briefly over the elder's parting words when _yōkai _as strong as himself rarely slept, Sesshōmaru thought over future qualms, and grunted lightly when nothing came to mind. The alpha of the servants had the needs of his 'lover' under control, and so far his feisty female had proven quite capable in handling herself around others. It was funny, feeling that there was really nothing to preoccupy himself with, nothing to compensate for or to work around. It was a good feeling, knowing he had chosen a good candidate to play as his lover.

Rising, Sesshōmaru decided to see if the _miko_ had remained asleep through all of the bustle of the servants. The _shōji_ slid silently aside, revealing a dark, moon blushing room. On the far side of his _futon_ lay what looked like a small bundle, curled up and occupying his bed. His young female lay underneath the bedding he rarely used and on her back, sound asleep with her head tilted away and one arm bent up out from under the blanket. Thinking to himself that he had nothing better to do, nothing he wished to do, he walked around the _futon _and quietly removed his armor and weapons, then began to disrobe. With her asleep, he felt no hesitation in standing in only his skin while selecting a _yukata_ for the night. Clothing was an unnatural thing, and _yōkai_ had begun using it as a show of wealth and status, not so much for 'decency' as humans did. He dressed, and hesitated in settling onto the _futon_. He had many memories there, most of them unforgettably unfavorable, which was why he normally sought rest during the daytime if he had to.

A soft hum permeated the air, and the _miko_ shifted, turning onto her side and exposing an issue with larger than appropriate clothing. Initially he glancing away, but his eyes were inevitably drawn back to the bared half of her chest. A guilty, filthy pleasure stirred within his primal side, and he swallowed a mounting rumble in his chest, and a rising desire. He had felt at her body while his mind ran rampant with lust, and vividly recalled the satisfaction he held for her full maturity and signs of fertility. Wide rounded hips, a tapered waistline, full breasts, all of it capable of bearing, birthing, and nurturing any pup she had. She was also strong. In _ki, _yes, but she also had a pleasing amount of muscle definition which left him wondering over how that came to be. Perhaps she practiced her archery on a regular basis.

Standing transfixed, he realized that the coloration and natural shape of her breast was also promising, with a deeply shaded areola and a nipple which perked in the cool night air out from the well rounded swell. She was **very** capable of nourishing an offspring, and he distinctly, horrifyingly recalled a raw, instinctual, untamed urge to get her pregnant with his pup. He had wholeheartedly desired to labor over her tirelessly until she accepted his seed, no matter how long it took.

His thoughts took mere moments to process, and again, more forcefully, he looked away. The memory had him pressing two fingers firmly between his eyebrows as he closed his eyes. This was not healthy for him. He did not even enjoy the thought of having pups running around. And yet, when his will broke down and he peered at her again, he wanted to take pride in his lingering desires, to fulfill them, and to gain her permission and acceptance.

"_She is merely convenient,"_ he told himself, taking up his fur and willing himself into bed. As much as it aggravated him, he could not fully block out the idea that he could be lying to himself.

Following her lead he slipped under the blanket, and decided to rectify her clothing before his thoughts could guide him astray. She had not given the _obi_ a proper knot, which he did while trying not to disturb her rest. On top of his humming instincts, Meiling's scent was nearly suffocating, and he began to wash it away with gentle waves of _yōki_, hoping the _miko_ would not wake. He could not tolerate the stench, and marveled at this female's ability to sleep in that situation. Methodically cleansing for the second time that night, he busied his hands with removing the hair ornaments she had forgotten about, setting them aside on the ground. He plucked loose the tie restraining her hair, and watched as it melted out of the wrap, flowing down to the bedding and loosening around her face, some strands sagging freely across her cheek. He brushed them aside, tucking them behind her ear, and watched as her face twitched at the contact, being tickled.

As Meiling's scent slowly faded he became more aware of his companion's, which was far from unsavory. The hum for action grew louder in his head. By his age right, it was only natural to want the company of a female, and by his status it was only natural to get any female he desired, and-

His thoughts could not go on like this. Reaching out, he shifted closer to the _miko_ and held her against his chest, out of sight. His false lover shifted, but it was brief, and she settled in his hold without further complaints. Like this, his instincts were bearable. If he held her, filled the void in his arms, he could suppress the urges. He knew he could not be with her intimately, it would destroy his life and all he had worked for. The _miko _would never be his, and Meiling's scent beckoned, promised an empty release.

Without thinking he dipped his head, burying his nose in the _miko_'s hair, suppressing himself, submitting to restraint, and breathed. Meiling's scent blessedly became an underlying one. The _miko_'s was warm, familiar, and – oddly – as calming as her warm and steady breath was in stroking the base of his neck, and her slowed heartbeat against his chest. He relaxed, closed his eyes. He did not require sleep, not for at least another week to complete the month. He really did not.

Thoughts slowly stilled, silencing themselves to listen to the sounds of her living. He did not need to sleep. Gradually, he felt himself slow, his body mimicking the lulling rhythm of her rest. Willingly, he settled around the _miko_, and fell from the precipice of consciousness.

* * *

><p>Kagome woke when her nose simply would not stop being bent in an odd angle. Still halfway asleep, she shifted, and nuzzled into the nice body pillow she was pressed against. Her body pillow had an awful lot of muscle...<p>

Her eyes snapped open, adrenaline rushing, to see cast in moonlight a throat, the base of which was horribly offending her nose. Seeking some personal space, she pulled away, feeling a spot on her brow cool as she moved. Her vision grew to encompass a firm chest wrapped in fabric, and beautiful, slightly parted lips, which must have rested against her brow as did the wonderfully sculpted nose against her hair.

A small, barely audible groan of protest was her only warning before the arm around her pulled her back in. Heart racing, she froze, and felt as her body pillow reasserted its position, nose delving against the top of her head as though hunting for a smell. She blinked in wonder upon realizing it was Sesshōmaru who, without even trying to mask it, shifted against her temptingly and penetrated her knees with his own before sighing, and not the vexed or exasperated sort of sigh she would have preferred in that situation. This sigh made her heart flutter, and her hand twitch to wrap around him in turn, her legs tingle with want to slide around his is the tangled mesh of their limbs through their _yukata_.

"_Oh, my, this is not healthy for me,"_ she thought, staring at the chest which again horribly violated the privacy of her nose. Scrunching her face, she turned it, feeling his smooth dry lips slide across her forehead. _"I'm getting all hot and bothered, and I'm in his bed. This is **not** healthy for me!"_

A low rumble shot through to her core as his lips moved against her head, his body shifted, holding her tighter. "Be still."

Never, in her entire life, had she heard Sesshōmaru's voice like that, or even remotely close to that. He sounded like he was half asleep or something, his words thick and quiet, and by all appearances he was slipping back into unconsciousness. A part of her was not proud of it, but she remained still, and listened to him. Seconds passed. Minutes. Kagome wondered what it was she was waiting for, but it finally came. A slow smile played on her mouth as the arm restraining her loosened its hold, the leg between hers relaxed, the head against hers grew heavier, and the breathing she heard became lower, deeper, and slowed. Even the slow current of his _yōki_ settled into an enviable stillness

"_You **are** asleep,"_ she thought, grinning madly for a reason she couldn't fathom. Compromising, she shifted just far enough away to spare her nose, allowing him to coddle her like a teddy bear. _"That mental image is horribly adorable..."_ Curious, feeling that her sacrifice of comfort was justification enough, she cautiously brought her hand up between them, and pressed it to his chest. It was firm, but in a different, liquidated kind of way. _"So you **can** be soft."_ She had felt him during the moment they shared, felt his toned, taunt body over hers and relished in it. Always, she had imagined him, with his obvious pride and his strong bearing, to have an iron body, never lenient and never appearing weak; indestructible.

This was not that. This was entirely different. This was Sesshōmaru just being Sesshōmaru, not the Lord of the Western Lands, not the heir to the title of _Inu no Taishō_, not the male who had a world to impress before conquering it as his plaything. This was a male who chose to wrap himself around her without demanding kisses or sex. This was a male who was strong, but could set aside that strength when he wanted to. _"This is a male who is running away from becoming mated, from having a life full of as much sex and conquest as he can handle."_

Idly, and suddenly quite comfortable with him, Kagome wondered what he really wanted in life, and doodled with a finger on the exposed part of his torso. Why would he turn away the foundations of his empire if all female _inu_ apparently acted the same way? Why would he, a male, choose to resist the temptations of his species and remain single, without a decent title, and to go against other _inu_ clans by turning away their prized females? She could not imagine it being because he was not ready, he was fully capable of building his own pack and siring pups while defeating opposing rulers and nations on the side. She could not imagine him simply not wanting to, considering his strong pursuit of power. It was fathomable, though childish, to think he would toss opportunity off the back porch for the sake of defying his mother. There just had to be a logical motivation to all of this.

Reacting belatedly to her moving, Sesshōmaru nuzzled his nose against her again, in a way that had her wide-eyed as her head rocked back, allowing his face to tuck slightly under hers. Feeling stuck – he would definitely wake up if she moved her cheek from his – she tried to deal with her distraught, school girl behaving body and rest. It was impossible to tell what time it was other than 'dead of night', so she hoped to get some sleep. Still, she took a few moments from her night, took her arm out from under the blanket, wrapped it around him, and selected a lock of silky smooth hair to twirl in her fingers, smiling like an idiot.

* * *

><p>Sesshōmaru drifted into reality as something opened the <em>shōji<em> to his rooms. Remaining still, with the _miko_'s brow resting against the bridge of his nose, he waited, facing the door. The weak _yōki_ was recognizable, and the young servant girl – Chiro, if he recalled correctly – gave an infinitesimally small squeak before the rustle of fabric indicated a bow and the _shōji_ closed once again, her _tabi _covered feet padding quickly away.

Such a bother. Opening his eyes, he pulled back to look down at the first female he ever held in his arms upon awakening. She slept, snoring lightly, lips parted and a small pool of drool catching on the sleeve of the _yukata_ she wore on the arm bent between them, her loose fist near the crossing fold of his own _yukata_. Her other arm was out of the blanket for some reason, draped over his hip in a languished sort of way. It was well past time for his day to start, so he slipped away from her, twisted around, sat up, and stood. Well, he tried to anyway. A small, foreign tug pulled at his head, and he cast a bewildered look over his shoulder, making it tug again. His hair was caught most intricately around the _miko_'s fingers.

Sighing, he got back onto the _futon_ and began extracting himself from her new, soon to disappear source of entertainment, wondering how he managed to sleep through such mishandling. The overall shape of her hand was quite effeminate, her fingers long and narrow and tapered into well groomed nails, which he took a moment to examine. How could they be strong against daily activities when they were so thin? Then again, their thinness offered a display of colors, including half moon shapes at the base of each nail, which turned into a rich light pink, then finished with a small portion of semi-transparent, bone-white, outgrown tip, the edge of which was dull to the touch. The thumb nail had a break in it on the side, cutting into the meat underneath. Curious, he picked at the odd injury, and her hand gave a little flinch; they were sensitive. Perhaps that was why humans relished in touching. Sesshōmaru could touch and enjoy the feel of things, but he did not hold a high value in it. In his true form, his paws were covered with fur and course, thick skin from which sprouted claws. Things that were sensitive to him were his ears, neck, face and groin, places where _inu_ commonly touched one another when permitted to, particularly when in their true form.

Curiosity aside, he set the _miko_'s hand down, got dressed into a simple but rich _kimono_ over a _nagajuban_, threw on a _happi_, put on a pair of _setta_ and left. He was not the type to groom the claws on his feet down to a _tabi_ accommodating length and shape, unlike most females in the _o-shiro_.

As he walked down the _rōka_, he sensed the servant from earlier standing outside the next set of _shōji_. Seeing as she would pick up on his _yōki_ and service him, he took his arms from the sleeves of his outfit and settled them into the _futokoro _of his _kimono_, folding them over the _obi_ restraint. Walking the rest of the way with arms _futokoro-de_, at his ease, he pondered over what to do. The servant girl opened the _shōji_, and bowed when he passed through it.

"Wake up my lover before midday," he ordered, pausing in his pace and looking down at Chiro's lowered head. "The night was a touch restless for her." That was according to her fingers in his hair. "If you hear her walking around, enter and service her as need be."

"Yes, Sesshōmaru _Denka_."

He left, and the servant closed herself in the _rōka_ to his rooms, most likely to accommodate her hearing. Servants were not trained on how to do more with their _yōki_ than to slightly lengthen their lives, meaning they all had dull senses.

He got no further than thirty paces when one of the three females stalking him revealed herself, her _yōki_ coming out from its restraint as she walked closer. Their techniques reminded him of a pup's game he had been forced to participated in when younger. His siblings would hide themselves away, and he would have to find them with his senses alone. If he passed one, or if someone sneaked up on him, they would unveil their _yōki_ and quite literally pounce. It was a humiliating game, which taught him how to make loathing things – particularly tickles – an art.

Sesshōmaru maintained his casual pace, and did not visually regard the female when she came into sight. She was his preference of the three, the second strongest, with raven black hair billowing in silky waves down to her bottom, pinned back in delicate silver combs today behind her ears and away from her face.

The female bowed to him. "Good morning, Sesshōmaru _Denka_." He nodded to her out of obligation, and she fell in at his side. "You seem in a good mood today. That is a favorable change. Do we have your lover to thank for it?"

"Hm."

She giggled softly behind an uplifted hand, walking at his side in silence for a dozen paces. "I wish to thank you for displaying your preferences. Your lover has flattered me."

This caught him off guard, and he glanced down at deep blue eyes regarding him.

"She looks like me," the female stated, a small smile on her lips. "In a manner of speaking, that is. I am encouraged by your lover."

Surprised, Sesshōmaru stopped and glared mildly at her slender clawed hand as it rested on his shoulder, near his neck. A small smile curved her lips, and she made a flick at his earlobe, a mild reprimand for ignoring her. If it did not have a valid purpose, he would have taken drastic measures to make sure that such a thing did not happen again, such as banish her from Japan or, to save on paperwork, kill her. As the situation stood though, he could not touch her with violent intent.

"Please remember that my rooms are always available to you. You owe me at least tea on the _engawa_ within the next two days."

With that she left down a side _rōka_, smelling pleased. It was amazing what minor achievements the desperate could settle for. Shaking himself – he despised being touched by others – he continued on his fairly aimless way. Kicked up instincts desired that he inspect the _o-shiro_,assess the health of his extensive pack and determine the security of his home. Official matters required his attentions as well, meaning that eventually he would have to see if there were any matters to attend to, and if there were any news on the boarders from the surrounding Lords and Lady of The Lands. The last he had heard from them though was in regards to Naraku, and since his mother handled matters in the Western Lands that had left Sesshōmaru available to gain permission from the Lords of the Southern and Eastern Lands and the Lady of the Northern Lands to stalk the nuisance throughout Japan and make sport of him.

A messenger jogged down the corridor, seeing Sesshōmaru and coming to a stop in front of him, bowing. "Sesshomaru _Denka_. Your mother will see you at midday." The young male left at Sesshōmaru's nod, and he could not help but to wonder what that female who birthed him was plotting.

His wanderings took him to the scholar chambers, a dry little room reserved for the official documents and records of important details. The newest entries would pertain to trade between Japan and China and what was happening in the _inu _court of the mainland. In a particular part of the records would be a history of his bloodline. Meiling's presence would be recorded in it as his unconfirmed alpha, and the three females as suitors. Inu-Yasha would never appear in it.

Selecting a scroll from the top of a pile in the large square shelf, he unrolled it and skimmed over the events taking place in his lands. Trade had reached a new low, but that was due to the season and a misfortune of some sort in the mainland. The soldiers in the camps scattered throughout his terrain were complaining again about the drastic lack of females, which would begin to resolve if Sesshōmaru were to mate Meiling and bear influence in the mainland court through the power and influence of both of their families. Villages would take root around the soldier camps, and with the fertility of those with weaker bloodlines and _yōki_, meaning shorter lifespans, they would see drastic growth in the _inu_ community in Japan. In fact, mating Meiling would be the best decision he could make as a young new _Inu no Taishō_.

The thought of her made his stomach twist, and he skimmed information regarding rations sent to the soldiers and how their wages balanced with the taxes imposed on them. Taxes from human cities in his terrain were struggling as humans began to stretch more and more with their trade routes and frequency of travel, which put him at odds with the surrounding Lords and Lady in terms of competition for tax income. Owning the entirety of Japan would be a tricky matter, and it was due to these taxes that he did not pursue total conquest yet. Until that time, if he manipulated the values of trade he could be the one making the profits at the other Lands' disadvantages, which would weaken them one by one. Make Edo the capital? Sesshōmaru _had_ the capital, Kyoto, why on earth would he want to send the Emperor to _**Edo**_?

"Hm." He made a promise, and if things worked out he planned to stick to that promise. It would not be the first time that something seemingly asinine and ridiculous worked out miraculously well. In fact, it was his faith in that odd nature of luck he had that led him into this fiasco with the _miko_ in the first place.

Rolling the scroll, he tucked it back away, deciding to suffer through the females for a few days before fleeing for a small 'vacation' and visiting the Emperor in person. It always lifted his spirits to watch people in power grovel.

"_Perhaps the _miko_ would enjoy seeing Kyoto."_

He froze, hand on another parchment to read, a dark frown weighing on his brow. Where did _that_ thought come from? Then again, to maintain the farce he would have to bring her regardless, and indulging in her would keep the females out of his beautiful hair for the vast majority of the day. With that, it was decided, whether the _miko_ wished to come or not. Sesshōmaru spent the rest of that morning perusing information, planning and preparing for the future, and throughout his efforts he periodically found himself simply staring straight ahead, through the dried ink, thinking about voluptuous things and having a quiet home on the coast. Again he focused on the document before him. He was born into a life of conquest, not of luxury.

* * *

><p>Kagome woke, and immediately ducked further under the blankets. Sesshōmaru's <em>futon<em> was so very comfortable, it was hard to will herself to leave it. Especially since she had more introductions to get out of the way today. Deciding she had better things to do, Kagome opened her eyes and peered around. Sesshōmaru was nowhere to be found, and a brief browse with her _ki_ did not sound him out anywhere in his quarters, or any other _yōkai_. There was a faint presence of _yōki_ though, a little distant, perhaps standing in the _rōka_ hall.

Groaning, she lay her head back down onto the slightly elevated mattress. This was so much better than the ground. It took a few minutes, but eventually she got up, and began padding around his room. Since he was not around, and since she would be stuck there for a time, she felt to have every right to nose around a little. For the sake of familiarity, of course. The boldly painted piece she had noticed last night, but had not been able to see very well, was an impressive painting over the _futon_, depicting a very vicious battle in ink. It had a lengthy poetic written portion in one upper corner, its words starting black but gradually mixing colors, until the last impacting line was the same blood red as a good portion of the actual painting.

A small wave of shivers passed over her when she finished reading it, skimming the six foot wide painting again. She hopped off of the _futon_, and walked over again to the armor and swords propped in the corner of the room. She recognized Bakusaiga, the sword that had decimated Naraku and his plots. The second was a new piece, something she had never seen before, and she grinned to think over Tōtōsai having that encounter. Sesshōmaru could be quite a hassle when he wanted something done. The last example of his stubbornness had resulted in her waking up slung over his shoulder.

Glancing over her own shoulder nervously, she grinned and reached for the new sword, feeling first with her _ki_ to make sure it would not hurt her. A tapping came at the door, and she flinched so horribly that she fell onto her bottom.

"Kagome _Hidenka_, are you awake?"

Rubbing her bottom, she shot to her feet, calming her distressed nerves and rectifying the sloppy angles of the _yukata_ she wore. "Yes, I am."

The _shōji_ slid open, admitting a female who appeared to be around Kagome's age. To her mild horror, the servant got down onto her knees and bowed to Kagome, offering her name and intentions to serve while keeping her eyes downcast.

"Um..." Kagome floundered for words, then mentally kicked herself. Finally, she settled on a small smile. "I am flattered, but my face is not down there, Chiro."

There was a confused silence. "Pardon?"

"Stand up. I appreciate your regards, and will remember them. Please, only abase yourself when others will see." Her thoughts churned on a possible unfortunate incident as she regarded the painting again. "Especially if Sesshōmaru sees. The _kami_ know he is a stickler for protocol." Looking back at the servant, Kagome almost giggled over the quizzical expression on Chiro's face as she knelt, and had to gesture with her hands to snap the girl out of it and summon her to her feet. "You look far too nervous, which I understand since I am asking you to set aside your training. My apologies, I am accustomed to unsettling people with my undying lack of formality. Would you feel better by fetching me some food?"

"Oh, yes, _Hidenka_," Chiro replied, bowing formally, still looking bewildered. "What would you enjoy this morning?"

Kagome hummed, thinking. She had to give the girl a task to let her settle into her role, but it always took her an hour or so to work up an appetite in the morning. "A sampling of fruits would be nice. Some broth soup and fish as well."

Chiro nodded. "Anything else?"

"Chopsticks," Kagome answered. "And a smile on your face." It appeared immediately, and Kagome laughed. "Sesshōmaru informed me," she merely expected this with high hopes, "that certain necessities of mine would be arranged by sunrise."

The girl nodded again, turning it somewhat into another little bow. "Yes. The elder has seen to matters personally. Do you require use of the room?"

"Soon. I believe that Sesshōmaru would have a fit if I were to walk around wearing these clothes." She lifted her arms, and laughed somewhat to herself.

Chiro was very knowledgeable of where certain articles of clothing had been stored, and impressed Kagome with her folding speed after unfurling a variety of garments for her to choose from. Kagome would have settled for a _yukata_, but seeing as it would do nothing for her image – nor Sesshōmaru's for that matter – she elected a _kimono_ and allowed Chiro to dress her. It was easy for Kagome to stand naked before the girl, seeing as she was a _miko_ and had seen plenty of nudity over the years, but she did not think she would ever be comfortable in front of a group of women, or a mixed gender group. Or even naked in front of one man, no matter the reason.

"Does something trouble you?"

Kagome withdrew from her thoughts, lamenting her sexual inexperience for a brief moment. Chiro was reacting to a small sigh. "I am fine."

"Sesshōmaru _Denka_ informed me that you may be tired after last night," the servant commented. "Is it difficult?"

"Hm?"

The girl blushed. "Being a human, and making love to a powerful _daiyōkai _like Sesshōmaru _Denka_. Is it difficult?"

Kagome smiled, very nearly grinding her teeth. _"Well, **he** works fast."_ "On the contrary, I find it invigorating. I have given myself to no other, but rumor strongly supports the shortcomings of human men."

This veered the conversation onto a less embarrassing topic, and one Kagome could talk freely about without risking being caught in a little lie, or giving information for Sesshōmaru to unwittingly counter later on. Deciding to talk with him on their apparent history together, Kagome marveled at how quickly she became dressed and was 'led' into the _o-shiro_. It seemed that the servants had to jump through some pretty high hoops in that place. Not only was Kagome left to walk ahead while taking directions from the girl, but Chiro also ran forward and opened _shōji_ for Kagome, then bowed as she passed, closed it, and fell back into her shadowing role. It was almost enough to make Kagome's head spin.

The 'restroom' was a bit of a shock. Not too far from Sesshōmaru's quarters, Kagome was amazed to have the door slid open to reveal a nicely lit room lined with its own mini engawa, and she had no idea how they did it but there was actually grass, growing and rooted into soil, for a floor. She could smell the earth strongly, and appreciated the scent. It may serve to cover some smells she would make in the future, and make a poor servant's job easier. It was extremely humiliating knowing that someone was going to handle her waste, but given her predicament she had no choice. It was no wonder that servants were regarded by some as animals, it made putting them through certain tasks much more bearable.

It was a small difficulty to shoo Chiro away, telling her to take the food to the main room of Sesshōmaru's quarters and re-re-re-reassuring the girl that she could find her way back unattended. When she finally got the privacy she desired, Kagome went ahead and examined the room further. Rice paper lined the small chamber, allowing in a nicely filtered light on three sides. The step surrounding the floor acted as a shelf as well, and she was very happy to see some necessary items available, including two lidded pots, one with lightly scented water and one without, and toilet paper in the form of small cut up strips of fabric stacked amply to one side.

Dealing with her _kimono_ proved to be a small labor in and of itself, as well as how to situate herself. After far too much effort she eventually finished and removed the lid of the scented water, tipping it into her hand several times, scrubbing her palms and fingers furiously and lamenting a lack of soap, then took up an extra cloth and rinsed off her face with the water left in the jar. This was going to be a long-... well, however long it took, it was bound to feel longer than it was.

Satisfied with the results and with the settling of her layers of clothing, she exited, and balked when a young male bowed to her. Right outside of the room no less!

"Was everything satisfactory?"

Kagome did her best to battle a blush, and was losing quickly. "Yes. I would appreciate some soap in the future. Thank you." Mortified, she left, walking a little too hastily down the _rōka_. The male had been quite beautiful – **every** _yōkai_ was beautiful it seemed – and she lamented leaving him with **that** to deal with. _"Once a day. Perhaps pee twice, but I can save the rest for once a day. Oh, _kami_, why did I get myself into this!"_

A presence made itself known, and her embarrassment fluttered away when a female – quite strong – stood stock still down the hall, blocking it with a galling amount of expectation. Kagome offered the female a smile, and came to a stop as well. Sesshōmaru had said that she should only consider respectfully bowing to his mother, seeing as other officials would most likely not seek her out. This was definitely not his mother, but the female had a small tick in her eyebrow as though she were staring at the kid who beat up her child and made them eat dirt from the sandbox for no good reason.

"Good morning," Kagome greeted, doing her best to act casual.

"I suppose it is," the female replied, tossing long silver hair from over her shoulder to her back. She was clearly agitated. "Come. Share some tea with me."

"I would be honored," Kagome stated warmly, ignoring the warning flares in her subconscious. This female was very, very dangerous. "Before that, I must see to eating. Perhaps this afternoon, if you are available." That should give her time to find and talk with Sesshōmaru.

"That time will be reserved. Come, we have matters to discuss."

"While your urgent desire for my attention is... embellishing," hunting for elaborate terms was really testing her vocabulary, "I must decline until a mutually convenient time."

"Do not misconstrue your status here," the female ordered sternly.

"I understand my status perfectly well." This female was going to be a testy one. More so than Meiling was, and Kagome expected cruel, sneaky things to come in the near future. "I will take my leave now."

It happened quickly. There was not even a feel of movement, simply _pressure_. Kagome blinked, her head spinning slightly, and found herself pressed against the wall by her upper chest, the _eri_ of her _kimono_ pulled aside.

"I was wondering about this," the female commented, a nail pressing testily into one of the bite marks in Kagome's neck, making her wince. The female took a deep, unabashed smell at her exposed skin, and sent chills through the _miko_. "Such a halfhearted bite. And to think that you bruised after so little. Do you possess the marks of his claws, or are you too frail to endure him?"

Angry, Kagome exhumed her _ki_, and the female backed off, a small smile on her arrogant face.

"You do not bear his scent intimately," the female commented as Kagome calmly pulled her clothing back into order. "That is a heinous crime for any side indulgence lover."

"_If I purify her, all I have to deal with then is being a murderer,"_ she thought bitterly. It would be so easy to lose her temper, to let words fly, maybe followed by fists, and to- Taking a calming breath, she reigned it in. Later. She would find a tree, and punch it later. In the meantime, she had to act her part. "Of course I do not bear the scent of our lovemaking. Sesshōmaru knows better than to trust the emotional stability of the females here. In fact, if I had not been found out he would not have asked me to cater to his mother's whims. Do not think so highly of yourself. Your status is not befitting of it."

Offering a small smile, Kagome continued on her way, walking past the female and hoping to not have to encounter another one again for the rest of the day. When she entered the _rōka_ to Sesshōmaru's rooms, which was opened by a servant who spotted her, she could not help but to sigh, eager to end the first morning there.

The _shōji_ to his rooms opened, Kagome's entrance was honored with a bow, and she stopped inside and stared at the table.

"I was uncertain as to what you would enjoy," Chiro stated as Kagome's wide eyes took in the sight. "I will learn today what your preferences are. Please, eat as you desire."

There was enough food there to feed a general and his lieutenants. And the under lieutenants, she was sure. Indeed, there was so much fruit and fish and broth that bowls were tucked under supporting platters just so as to stack food over food!

"Chiro? Do me a favor?"

"Yes, _Hidenka_?"

"Assess how much I eat, and only bring in that much food from now on."

* * *

><p>Midday came, and Sesshōmaru found himself entertaining his mother's summons. He did as much because there really was nothing better to do. He supposed that, as a small benefit, a future hindrance may be sighted and eliminated thanks to the meeting.<p>

Small chances of that happening though when he entered a room with two occupants.

"I will be brief," his mother stated, offering a calm, frigged stare. "The fact that you have announced a lover and that she is here does not forestall the mating. You are to perform your duties, Sesshōmaru, and honor your heritage by producing the next line of heirs and by giving your future lands a strong and healthy pack."

This much was obvious. It was bound to happen, and he had expected this conversation last night. Apparently it required Meiling, who stood calmly to one side, and her dismissal from his quarters to prompt his mother to point out the obvious and to order the inevitable.

"I will personally make sure that you have nothing to preoccupy your attentions between midday and three quarter's day. You will use this time as Meiling sees fit." She paused, assessing him, and smiled faintly. "You seem to be offended. Remember, Sesshōmaru, your opportunity for your father's title is exactly that, and nothing more. If you continue to toy around with your destiny, I will strike you from our history, find another mate, and sire a new line of grateful heirs. It would not be the first time such a thing happened, and I would be the youngest female to commit the act if you persist down this self-destructive path. Do not test my patience, son."

Meiling came forward then, a small, satisfied smile on her face. "Come, love," she cooed, taking his arm. "It is midday."

* * *

><p>Kagome blinked, and glanced toward the heart of the <em>o-shiro<em>.

"Kagome _Hidenka_?"

Something felt wrong. "Do you ever get the feeling that someone you know is being served a sentence by _karma_?"

"Pardon?"

"_Karma_. As in, good things come to those with good behavior, and bad things come to those with bad behavior."

"I can not say that I believe in _karma_, Kagome _Hidenka_."

"Believing in it is an amusing pastime," Kagome commented, trying another type of fish. "Oh, this one is also very good."

"You have said that about all of the food."

"That is because it is all good." Absentmindedly, Kagome wondered how _karma_ would get back at Sesshōmaru for how many people he had unnecessarily killed over his centuries of life. Inu-Yasha said that it was not an infrequent thing, but after Sesshōmaru's attempts on her life Kagome was hard pressed to believe the male was even good at earning that reputation.

Breakfast passed slowly, and Kagome found it difficult to draw Chiro into a conversation. The girl was proper to a fault, and it was getting a little under her skin. Making sure to eat a little more than she was comfortable with, seeing as she may be quite hungry for some meals, she regrettably finished and lamented at seeing the seemingly unchanged spread. She had eaten at least one bite of everything, and could not force down another morsel if she tried.

"You do appear weary," Chiro commented as Kagome contemplated her food baby under the restraining _obi_. "May I have a bath drawn up for you?"

Kagome's attention was immediately grasped. The proposition was pursued with great enthusiasm, and within the hour Kagome was lowering herself into steaming water, sighing over the warmth and relaxing with relief into the herbal water. It could smell like anything for all she cared, even minestrone soup. Just so long as they cooked her at a low simmer, she would endure the tenderizing with a languished smile and leave smelling however they wished. And speaking of 'they', the whole room was run by a separate force of servants, all of them female as per Kagome's request. She learned quite quickly that her bashfulness was easily overcome with the proper motivation. The room milled with water bearers and heaters, bathtub assistants, servants in charge of the clothes of their guests, servants who brought food and drink as needed, Kagome thought there was even an individual who specialized in the herbs she soaked in. This place was a paradise, and she began to feel guilty for all the times she wished horrible, terrible things upon Sesshōmaru. Well, most of them.

Humming to herself, she swam her hands through the water near her thighs, creating hot currents to brush her skin in a very pleasing way.

"Would you appreciate a manicure, Kagome _Hidenka_?"

"Oh, yes, please."

"And a pedicure?"

"Certainly."

"May I wash your hair?"

"I will not stop you."

"Would you enjoy an oil after your bath?"

"Of course."

"Would you enjoy your bath to be maintained at this temperature?"

Kagome just sighed, ready to weep with joy, and nodded in response as practiced hands began to massage her scalp and her hands and feet were handled below the hot water. This was the best day of her life.

* * *

><p>Sesshōmaru decided that this was one of the worst days of his life. The fact that he sat naked on the edge of Meiling's <em>futon<em>, and that her clawed toes teased the small of his back, did not make matters any better.

"I love these dimples." Her toes skimmed across the dips above his bottom, and then disappeared as she sighed. "Again," she breathed, getting up and pressing against his back, tangling her arms around him with a content hum. "I want that again."

It was difficult to not see the benefits in a quiet life on the coast, with only one female and no demeaning obligations. Meiling pressed her claws into his skin, and the distinct feel of her biting into the side of his neck had him baring his teeth. Very difficult.

* * *

><p>Probably a full hour later, Kagome was lounged happily on her stomach, enjoying the free massage which came with the oiling. They firmly believed that the skin required mild kneading to properly absorb the oil, and she was in no hurry to change their minds. The room was steamy and warm from her bath, and the feel of hands working intricately across her body was absolutely amazing. The only downside was the fact that she would drool if she slipped off into unconsciousness, and that would be good for no one.<p>

* * *

><p>Laying on his back, Sesshōmaru was uncomfortably overheated and breathing heavily from his endeavors, and Meiling draping herself over him did not help in the slightest.<p>

"Again." She brushed a pinch of her hair across his chest, playing with his perspiration. It was amazing how little stamina fighting required, but _this_? "I want that again." Her cheeks were barely tinted, and she smiled happily as he glared at her. "Come now. At _this_ rate I will not get into heat for weeks. You wish for this to be over with quickly, do you not?"

Definitely overheated.

* * *

><p>Kagome was quite happy to be dressed in a layer of silk after her neck to toe oil massage. She would not be wearing the silk for long, merely as a comfortable cover as they tended to her hair, brushing and conditioning it, playing with the length and testing different hairstyles for her to assess. As they did that, another servant gently massaged creams into Kagome's face and under her chin, completing the massage, and brushed a wonderful smelling oil on her lips for conditioning. By the third hairstyle she was beginning to firmly believe that these <em>inu<em> appreciated their own, non-human approach to salon masterpieces, and delighted in inspiring her strands to curl or straighten or do whatever they chose. It had actually become something of a game between Kagome and the servants, since their main method for shaping the hair was to use a nature of _yōki_ Kagome had never experienced before. It was, as well as she could describe it, _stale_, and merely served one designated purpose. They all laughed as she safely played with the _yōki_ on her head with her _ki_. Sometimes she could re-shape it to a slight degree, but usually it burned away too quickly, and she stared happily in the mirror as her hair went from curls to the straight tresses she was accustomed to.

* * *

><p>It seemed so wrong to lack that drive he had felt with the <em>miko<em>. Sesshōmaru lay on his front, head pillowed on his arm, and stared at his clawed hand, his body exhausted. He stared, and felt a horrible sense of emptiness inside, made worse by the weight of obligation and responsibility pressing in. It was odd. Past encounters with Meiling were insultingly personable, horribly degrading, but now things were worse. This was unnatural. He should not be in that bed with her, and the feeling was founded on reasons he could not exactly figure out. Nothing had changed, and yet everything had.

A clawed hand drew idly on his back, its owner humming lightly to herself. "You are welcome to stay the night." He did not bother dignifying that with a response. She pulled herself across his back, and looked at his face. "So stubborn." She stroked his cheek, seeking his attention, and he refused to give it. His own claws were far more interesting. "You will learn to love me. This is simply how things initially are."

Innately, he knew his time with her was at an end. One did not live for centuries without knowing the position of the sun at all times. Meiling was not disappointed when he left her bedding and dressed. Instead, she stretched, and hummed, and relaxed, watching him clothe himself. As he left, she promised to try and make things more interesting for him tomorrow.

* * *

><p>"I wish to do that at least every other day," Kagome stated, walking at a sedated pace back for Sesshōmaru's rooms, her mood drifting in impenetrable bliss.<p>

"As you say, Kagome _Hidenka_."

It was good to be labeled as a consort...

As they made their way down the _rōka_, Kagome sensed the master of the chambers in residence, and smiled, grateful that she really could discuss things with him before having to meet any of those females again. Chiro opened the door, and Kagome strode in with a smile, looking for the occupant. He sat, glaring at the mountain of food on his table, and was tormenting a lovely piece of melon with his claws when she entered.

"Good afternoon, Sesshōmaru," she greeted warmly. He did not bother to look up. In fact, his molestation of the food intensified a little. "You seem to be in a _wonderful_ mood. I recommend taking a bath. You have some highly under appreciated talent in there."

Kagome stilled when he suddenly stood before her, and looked up at him. He really needed to stop startling her like that. She opened her mouth to make such a request, and found herself victim to his fervent attentions.

"_This day just keeps getting better,"_ she thought, returning the kiss and moaning a little, slowly losing herself in the pretend. He was putting on a show for Chiro, and if taking a bath taught Kagome anything, it was that servants were magnificent gossips. Speaking of though, she broke away from the kiss, wondering when he had grabbed and pulled her so firmly against him, and turned her head to regard her personal servant. "Chiro, you may-" She gasped, and giggled when he assaulted her neck with enough force to have her bending back over his arm in a sensually thrilling manner. "Privacy, please!"

The servant bowed quickly as Sesshōmaru's mouth traveled downward and began teasing the base of her throat. As he continued further, tugging the fabric from Kagome's shoulder, Chiro suddenly blinked with a small shake of her head and bowed yet again, then literally ran away. Kagome laughed at nothing in particular, chasing poor Chiro's hearing with whatever the female's imagination could come up with. Tracking her _yōki_, Kagome made sure they were alone before clearing her throat. "My, you seem enthusiastic."

He was. The kissing stopped, but he did not let her go. Instead, Kagome found her head being pressed under his chin, held firmly against him.

"Sesshōmaru?" she asked hesitantly. Something felt wrong, and it had nothing to do with her still bared shoulder. "Did something happen?"

"Lay with me."

Kagome frowned at the hint of a request. He was in control of himself, but for some reason his behavior worried her more this time. Slipping her arms past his waist she hugged him. "Are you okay?"

"I will be fine."

After a moment she nodded and drew away, sliding her hands down his arms and encouraging him to release her as she pulled back. There was an odd shadow on his face when she looked at him. As unfitting as it was, she felt like her hands slipped past mature wrists, only to hold the hands of a confused and misguided youth. It worried her, deeply, not knowing what proved the motivation to drive him to seek her help in ending this mating, not knowing why he sought her out now. She wanted to go through with this farce as easily and with as little emotional scarring as possible, and his indications with '_will _be fine' offered small insight to some factors she was not exposed to, something she probably would not wish to be exposed to. Whatever it was, it had taken a toll on him, and he needed something. "Okay."

Before she could even think of turning and walking her own darn self to the _futon_, she was swept effortlessly off of her feet and carried away from the room, left to grumble about her insulted legs while secretly enjoying the feel of a strong male carrying her away. It was, over the last few years, how most of her lonely fantasies at night began.

* * *

><p>Meiling bid her time, waiting for her unknowing little fish to swim by. Finally it did, and she cast her line. "Servant."<p>

An older female with a whelp who was learning to walk regarded her, then hurried her burden along when Meiling shooed her off. The other female, younger than herself due to her shorter lifespan but of a maturity with Meiling, stopped, saw her, then bowed with wide eyes, remaining respectfully silent and hurrying over at the crook of a finger.

"Tell me," Meiling ordered when the female was within reach. She reeked of the _miko_ after spending the entire day with her. "How is my alpha doing?"

* * *

><p>He was not entirely sure why he wanted to lay with her. When she commented on sharing scents he merely nodded, accepting the excuse and finding a more willing light enter the <em>miko<em>'s eyes at the familiarly labeled act. For a short while she tried pressing him for details, to coax information out of him. When he ignored her though, holding her closely and firmly against himself, she eventually lapsed into a long, blissful silence, and he lapsed into thought.

The _miko_'s presence was a comfort. Not because of who she was, but more because of what she was. She complied with him. She did not pursue him, did not purposefully absorb his time, did not cling to an idea and use him as a catalyst for her ends. She was simply there, willing to see things through to a desirable end, willing to lend herself to him. There was no lust in her scent for him, no immediate demands, no expectations other than the reasonable requirements. It was refreshing, the simplicity with which she worked, and to have a female around who did not act like a female. She was effeminate, and acted appropriately when necessary, but in private she was herself. It was simple, and amazingly respectable. Also, he felt that she did not exactly see him as just a male, as a means to an end. The worry emanating from her was not for herself, and as annoying as it was to know her thoughts, it was still... nice, he supposed.

"I almost picked up that new sword of yours," she commented without warning, without cause. "Was Tōtōsai as compliant as ever in making it?"

"Hm." She was distracting him. Perhaps he needed a distraction. "He believes that his cow can outrun a _daiyōkai_."

"Was he sorely disappointed?"

"Indeed."

She laughed into his chest. "Has he ever even managed to hit anything with that ridiculous mallet of his?"

"Myōga, once."

The _miko_ gasped, craning her neck to look up at him. "That's horrible!"

It might have been a slip of the tongue. Even if it was not, he was in no mood to care about her motives. Taking her face, he found that it was very endearing when she growled lightly in vexation, sorely accepting his kiss. It was silly, really, for such a simple act to be so gratifying, but it was.

Eventually, after far too few seconds, she pulled away, nuzzling into his hold again, hiding her mouth. "I swear, the further into this huge mess we get the longer the reprimand for my _rare_ slips becomes." She emphasized that, claiming pride for the past, which had him smirking. It was strange that she – or anyone for that matter – would vehemently defend herself, dignify herself, before snuggling into the addressee's neck like a small pup seeking acceptance would.

She sniffled oddly, then flinched away from him in a hurry and turned to the opposite direction, her inner elbow over her mouth. His immense confusion was soon resolved as her entire body convulsed with a total of three steady, forceful sneezes.

"Agh!" she sighed, sniffing again.

"There is an easy way to avoid that," he informed, propping his head up while remaining on his side.

"Hm? Oh, I am certain there is. I do take pleasure in sneezing though." Self-conscious, she wiped around her nose and mouth, cleaning small spots of spittle. "It leaves me messy sometimes, and if I am in a quiet room with people around it can be embarrassing, but I find it hard to care when it just feels so good, so they can think whatever they want." She settled onto her back with a smile, tucking an arm behind her head. Her scent came to him through the oils on her skin, and it was a rich, pleasing scent. "A guilty pleasure, perhaps. I firmly believe that everyone needs that now and again in a balanced life though. I would probably go insane denying myself a good strong sneeze every time it came around."

She offered him a smile then, bright and happy, and he found himself to be in a far better mood. It was possible that she had a point. Satisfying a guilty pleasure would be phenomenal. Experimentally, he reached out to her face. The slightest shift of expression belayed confusion – she was probably contemplating over a grammatical mistake – and then slipped into surprise when he brushed hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Staring at him, she repeated his action, securing her hair and toying with it briefly, then smiled, a small blush on her face. It seemed that humans and _inu_ shared quite a few areas of sensitivity.

"By the way," she commented, looking up. "That painting is grotesque, in its own beautiful kind of way."

"There is nothing disgusting about it."

"I beg to differ. But then again, you probably also ran around at some point in life with a decapitated head in your teeth."

"It is a flawless display of victory."

"It is gross."

"Says the human, who may fit the head of a mere lizard or bird in their mouth and nothing more."

The _miko_ rolled her eyes. "_Kami_, sometimes I do not know whether to blame you being a dog, or you being male."

"How unfortunate you must feel to be neither."

The _miko_ rubbed at her face with both hands, flustered with him. He was definitely in a better mood, and expressed his appreciation by pulling her close and nuzzling her neck. Her shrill, tickled out laugh was irrationally charming. A sensitive neck, he decided, befitted a lover very well.

Amusing him with stories about the future was a hobby the _miko_ appeared to take great delight in. Enthusiastically she would talk about cars, jets, theme parks, restaurants, indoor plumbing, an arsenal of things Sesshōmaru had never heard of. She even rolled onto her knees once and had him questioning her sanity when she tried to enact a sort of music called metal, then thankfully only explained how opera sounded, and finally she got off of the bed and performed a little dance talking about techno and hip-hop. It did not exactly intrigue him, but he was content to watch her, enjoying her lack of restraint and the odd twists and dips she made.

"I wonder if you would risk going deaf by going to a concert," she commented, a huge smile on her face, her creatively pulled back hair a little messy after the theatrics, rebellious strands hanging around her face and ignoring her feeble attempts to brush them back, her attention entirely on what was coming out of her mouth. "The music can be really loud. Like if I were to scream my head off tirelessly throughout the colorful portion of sunset, then make it louder. I have only ever been to one concert, and I left feeling like I had cotton stuffed into my ears."

"Cotton?"

"A common phrase. I suppose it _is_ a rather random thing to shove in your ears though." As bright and fluttery as a butterfly, she got onto her stomach on the _futon_ at an odd angle and propped her chin in her hands. "So how much longer do you think you will live?"

He smirked, and waited for her to grow impatient. After figuring out that he was not going to answer, she pursed her lips, and thought. "Hm. You are seven hundred now, but you look..." she eyed him, studying his face, his shoulders, his chest, and his waist, "around twenty. A mature twenty. Maybe twenty-two." Mumbling incoherently to herself, she used her fingers a little, nipping her tongue at odd intervals and making her brows bend into a variety of positions. "Um... Close to three thousand years?"

"That would be a tragically young death."

Her eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Hm."

"Well... How about five thousand?"

"More."

Her eyes bulged. "S-seven thousand?" He smiled. "Ten? … No, you are messing with me now."

"Hm."

She crawled closer, staring with a horrible attempt of seriousness plastered on her face. "Was that a humored 'hm', or a confirmation 'hm'?"

"Take your pick."

Thinning her lips, she playfully smacked his chest. "Arrogant bully..."

"Hm."

"GAH!" Throwing a sour look over her shoulder at him, she soon gave up on anger, and a small smile played across her face. "IS it around ten thousand?"

"That would be a long life."

She whistled lightly, a distant look in her eyes. "I think that is longer than recorded human history." Frowning, she glanced at him. "Except maybe for the Egyptians. And the Mayans and Aztecs. And Mesopotamia. It is definitely longer than a consistent human history record, or I am fairly sure that it is. So why are there not more of you? _Inuyōkai_, I mean."

"Most do not have the lineage and strength to endure," Sesshōmaru commented. "For example, the average servant's life is close to eight hundred years."

"How old is the oldest living _inuyōkai_ now?"

"The oldest living is now nearing her six thousand four hundred and ninetieth year."

The _miko_ nodded, marveling. Then her head slowly stopped, and she frowned, then cast a sidelong look at him. "Wait. That is nowhere _near_ ten thousand."

"When you are innately powerful, you will always be targeted," he stated. "Once I claim the title, I will be challenged for it on a regular basis."

"Hmm." She stared at her lap, clicking her thumb and a finger nail around one another. "How old was your father?"

"The late _Inu no Taishō _was close to four thousand years in age."

She looked so genuinely saddened to hear the fact. "Is that normal?"

"Yes."

She sighed through her nose. "Well, he got to do and see a lot more than I ever will. A human's average lifespan is only forty years in this era. In the future it will be closer to seventy."

"You will outlive your human friends then?"

Smiling, she shook her head. "It has nothing to do with breeding. I may, but it depends. I have been vaccinated against many illnesses, but that does not mean I will not die just as easily as my friends."

"That is a useless amount of time."

The _miko_ laughed at him. "To you. We make it worth it though."

"There is no great endeavor you can achieve within seventy years."

"Hm." A wistful look entered her rich blue eyes. She had features similar to the suitor female, but they were nothing alike. "You know what I would think of as a great achievement? Helping others, having healthy children and raising a family, preparing them for life, maybe see their children born, and to die without regrets." Hugging her knees she hummed, seeming happy with the prospects of her so few years ahead of her. "It is not world conquest, but I do not need that to be happy."

"Your goals are simple."

"My goals are achievable." It was amazing how defensive she appeared. "And my life is not meaningless. If I die early, I will at least try and do so without regrets. That is the one thing I fear the most. But... life would have more meaning if I could die knowing I had someone to love, and cherish, and to protect before the end."

"Protect?" he echoed, centuries flowing back.

"M-hm." She made that silly grin again and hugged herself even tighter. "You know love if you want to protect someone. A family member, a friend, a partner, anyone. I am sure that your older sisters did not just protect you for their own means."

"Hm."

A surprising presence began to creep closer, the weak _yōki_ tickling at Sesshōmaru's senses.

"What is it?" the _miko_ asked when he got up and left the room, and opening the _shōji_ to the _rōka._ Then looked down. It was... tiny.

"OH my _kami_, she is ADORABLE!"

Without preamble the _miko_ wriggled frantically past him and hurried to kneel at eye level with the servant's pup who happened to be 'walking' their way, with her feet on the floor and her hands braced on the walls. Big purple eyes stared in open shock at the first human they had ever seen.

"Hi!" the _miko _simpered pathetically, radiating with the desire to touch the golden haired pup. "Oh, Sesshōmaru, why are all _inu_ so drop-dead gorgeous?" She held out her arms. "Come here, sweetie. Did you lose your mommy?"

Said 'mommy' quietly appeared in the cracked open door at the other end of the _rōka_. Innate terror visibly settled on her to see the situation her tyke had gotten into. The servant was not a danger to the _miko_, but her blatant facial expression would most likely put the curious human on edge, which would affect the whelp in turn. Wanting to avoid the upcoming issues, Sesshōmaru offered a specific nature of _yōki_ to those in the vicinity.

"Whoah," the _miko_ breathed, looking back at him as his energy washed over her. "What was that?" Immediately, the pup bobbled into the now thoughtlessly extended arms, and the _miko_'s head whipped forward, voice attaining a new squeak once more. "Aw, you are just the sweetest little thing!" Hoisting the toddling tyke into her arms, balancing her on a hip in an intriguing manner, the _miko _turned and bounced the pup lightly, giggling and playing with a small clawed hand that clasped her finger. Her eyes fell on the mother, and the smile fixated on her face broadened. "Is she yours?"

The servant nodded, bowing, her worries gone. The whelp was in no danger. Sesshōmaru was an impressive and powerful alpha, and it was simple to impose a sense of security on members of his pack. After walking over and delivering the pup, the _miko_ still cooed little tidbits of adoration and nonsense, and got the tyke smiling and hiding her face repeatedly in her mother's hair and against her neck, giggling with low pitched little squeals of delight. She even pursued conversation with the servant, which surprised the female but flattered her as well. Eventually the _miko _tired, thanked the servant for indulging her, and came back over to Sesshōmaru, grinning madly.

"Are you satisfied?"

"No," she sighed happily, looking back at the pair making their way into the _o-shiro_. "Now I want one."

"You may have one, if you so desire."

"That is just cruel," she informed with a pointed look, glancing back forward and giggling as the whelp continued to stare with wide eyes over her mother's shoulder until the _shōji_ was shut.

"You misinterpret. I would never separate a pup from its mother, and I do not freely give what is not mine. If you wish to have one, you will birth it yourself."

Her wide eyes and open expression twisted to him, absolutely shocked. "But I do not-" Her eyes bulged. "You-?" After studying his carefully executed expression, she broke out into a short fit of laughter. "Oh, your sense of humor is one to grow accustomed to."

Her response was mildly disappointing. "Hm." Yes. Satisfying an indulgence was indeed tempting. He watched as she made her way back into his chambers, freely entering his territory, and picked at the fruit littering his table. Soon her attentions fell on the wedge of melon he had humored himself with earlier, and she picked it up, proffering it to him.

"This is a horrible waste of food."

"That is hardly worth consideration as food."

The _miko_ frowned. "It is too!"

"Then eat it."

With a dark expression, she did, her eyes never leaving his. She slurped and smacked as juices dripped down her chin, licked her soaked fingers, until all that remained was the rim.

"Ta-dah," she chimed lightly, setting the ream aside. She wiped the side of her mouth with the back of her hand, made a small 'tsk', and licked at her fingers some more. "This is so mess- Um, what are you doing?"

"Assisting."

"You are licking my fingers."

"M-hm."

"Why?"

Holding her chin, he licked the side of her mouth, which had her shuddering in his grasp. "It is only natural."

"Why? Because I am acting like your lover?"

"In part." He resumed cleaning her hand of the drying, sweet juices covering it. "Mostly, it is because you taste like food."

A small scoff escaped her. "I _told _you it was food. And I am never eating melon in front of you again."

"You will."

"You can not make me."

"Perhaps," he conceded, meeting her gaze. "But you will."

It was obvious that she was attempting to control her expression. Her efforts were foiled by the blush creeping into her face.

He smirked. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," she lied, her cheeks darkening further as she looked away.

"Hm." Her innocence was a tempting thing to violate. "You took a bath."

The _miko_ blinked. "Yes."

"The servants saw you naked."

"... Why do you sound so stern? They were all females, of course they get to see me naked."

"You do not bear the proper marks of a lover." He had not considered her nudity to be an issue.

"Oh." She looked downward, thinking. "One of those females you warned me about pinned me in the hall today."

"Pinned?"

"She restrained me against a wall," the _miko_ clarified. "And examined that bite you gave me. She called it halfhearted, and asked if I had... scratches, of some sort?"

The thought of the _miko_ being assaulted in such a manner peeved him to some degree, but he nodded. "Proper markings."

The _miko_'s expression fell. "I am not allowing you to mutilate me further."

He smirked. "I do not need your permission, _lover_."

"Sesshōmaru, **no**, I absolutely refuse, do not even think about it!"

"The more you resist, the more I am prone to performing the act."

The _miko _stared, bewildered and offended. "Then what _should_ I say? 'I give you permission to do it'?"

"Very well."

She squeaked when he picked her up, her scent reeking of shock. "Sesshōmaru! Put me down!"

"In a moment."

"Seriously, this is going too far!" she yipped, smacking uselessly at his back.

"You swore to do what was necessary."

The protests stopped a moment. "With certain conditions, yes!"

"And the sole condition was to keep your virginity intact."

A small exclaim escaped as she fell down onto the _futon_. She scrambled back, and he stopped her efforts with a foot on the hem of her clothing. "Then, I make this an additional condition."

"The agreement is sealed," he stated, leaning down to her, 'pinning' her sleeves under his hands. "The conditions will remain as they are. You swore to submit to me."

Her mind churned on the facts. Eventually, she sighed, and laid back, rolling her eyes. "The least you could do is get me drunk so I do not have to register all of the pain."

* * *

><p>Eleven shots of sake later, and Kagome had to admit that letting him see her naked chest was not the worst idea in the world.<p>

"I swear," she slurred slightly, swaying where she sat on the edge of the _futon_, "this stuff... This stuff tastes pre'dy good when you can' taste it anymore."

"Are you sufficiently inebriated?" he inquired.

"Hmm..." she pulled her _eri_ down her shoulder a ways, and pinched her upper breast firmly. It hurt, but it was a faded, distant little sting, which made her giggle over how absurdly easy it was to ignore. "Yep. Remember what I said?"

"You will not die of infection or blood loss," he assured, his absurdly formal nature making her chuckle again. What a prude. "My _yōki_ will be suppressed, and you do not risk losing your virginity. Are you content?"

"Sure," she stated with hotter than average breath, pouring one more shot and throwing it back. Setting the cup unstably onto the tray, she flung out her arms and flopped onto her back. "Take me now, oh furry god of death." The look on his face was priceless, and she laughed as he unhurriedly disrobed her. Her cheeks were a tingly numb, and flicking them proved to be quite entertaining. She decided to try and monitor her grammar, but figured she would fail miserably. "You should feel lucky. You'll- erm, you will be the first man to see me, um, nakies. Save for my dad and doctor when I wus born and a baby, 'course."

"I am not a man."

She snorted, which produced a wave of tingles in her face. "You sure as hell look like one." She looked at him, a foggy sense of uncaring filtering her actions and thoughts. "Why _do_ you look like this?"

Golden eyes peered at her, and a wave of desire tingled into existence, making her shift. "For convenience."

"Hm," she hummed as the _kimono_ folded open. "You know, I never thought thiz'would ever happen."

"The feeling is mutual."

"Heh," she laughed briefly. "Tell me, is it insulting thad I wanted sake for this?"

"Will you remember these events?"

"Probably." She got up onto her elbow, clumsily grabbed the sake bottle, and drained it before he could pluck it out of her hand, which made her giggle again. Life was so funny when you were immensely tipsy. "Heh, probably not."

He inspected the empty flask, and with a frown set it aside.

"I am **so** gunna have a hangover," she sighed through a whine, looking over at nothing in particular. Her vision swam whenever she moved, and it made bobbing her head lightly quite entertaining. It was also making her a little sick, so she stilled and closed her eyes, sighing again, feeling tired, wondering if this would hurt as much as she expected it to. "It's sorta silly that we're doin' this. The whole facade, but this mudilation stuff too. They'll think you're super jealous or somethin', knowin' I'm walkin' aroun without your claws all over me. … I feel bad for lovers. Poor, abused bitches... And I use that term in the most accurate sense."

"Hm."

"Is there another word for after they have pups?"

"In general, it is not improper to call them a dam," he informed. "That is reserved as an insult for those of higher status."

"What about 'sire'?"

"It is acceptable, for males."

"Seesh... Words are annoying." Her _nagajuban_ folded away, and she gave a start, remembering the sheer fabric of the only remaining layer. "Hey! I said the chest, jerk!"

"What difference does it make?"

"Quite a bit," she grumbled sourly. Oh well. It was hard to care when your thoughts kept swimming around. "I should be able to scratch you."

"If we were having sex, you would."

"We're not having sex," she stated forcefully, turning her head to look in the other direction. "That painting is gore-tacular." He ignored her, which was a little disappointing. "How long is this going to take?"

"What difference does it make?"

He bent over her, and she turned her head away and moaned as he nuzzled her neck. "Oh, _kami_, a hickey? That's so high school." His failure to respond left her to close her eyes and hum, and his hand cupped her hip nicely. She inhaled sharply as his claws pierced her skin, then dragged out at an angle, rending her flesh lightly.

"It hurts," she whimpered, clenching her hands into fists even as the pain subsided under the suffocating cloud of alcohol. He continued with his actions, scraping her skin to various depths and for varying lengths, making some as mirror image marks and others in random places, and she began to cry, aching in a dull way. He bit her as well, on her neck and shoulders, and dug his nails into her bottom. She was already bleeding fairly heavily when he rolled her onto her stomach, dirtying the _kimono_ and his bedding with her weeping skin. Carelessly she moaned in protest, hissed in pain, and whimpered when his actions dug deep. She should have fought against this more. At one point she grabbed his red smeared hand, begging him weakly to stop.

"You are fine," he informed. "Do not allow the alcohol to trick you." He pulled his hand away, and pricked into her chest when he grabbed the mound of her femininity. "Do not make this any more difficult."

"How is _this_ difficult for _you_?" she demanded with a mumble, feeling weary and ready to drift off if not for his constant abuse. It had only lasted for about five minutes now, but that was four minutes too long. "This' gunna hurt me for days to come. Weeks. You _better_ be grateful, you arrogant ass, or I'll never let you live it down."

She gasped when he nipped her ear, his canine sliding smoothly into the sealed hole as the rest of his teeth pressed into her skin. "Do you recommend anything to make this experience better?"

"Not really," she replied, a little dazed. "I hear some sexual acts can turn pain into pleasure, but that isn't gunna happen."

"Hm."

The _futon_ shifted, and as he pulled away his hair slid along her back, making her wince as it slipped through open cuts.

"I will summon an herbalist. Remain still."

"Sesshōmaru?" He was always so quiet, and in the state she was in there was not even the slightest of chances that she would be able to sense anything. So instead she sighed, and relaxed into the bedding. "Thanks for letting me get drunk. It helped a lot." And with that she allowed sleep to envelop her mind.

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><p><strong>AN**: Phew, a full thirty-eight pages! Sorry updating this took so long! :( I hope it was worth the wait. ;) Please let me know what you thought about it! I love a good critique, so if you noticed any errors or ways for me to improve as a writer please voice your thoughts. :D Thanks for reading!


	5. Public Appearances

**A/N**: … In my defense for the chapter length, it was a short bulletin point chapter requirement list... I just fill it with tons of details.

Also, sorry it took so long to upload. Between the two sites I upload this on I've heard several critical comments about Sesshōmaru's character being tested, so as a result I took much longer than usual, worrying over it, AND asked someone to beta for me (which is amazingly useful, I never knew I made so many little mistakes, LOL). In my defense though, we never see Sesshōmaru in such a situation in the series, so I hope if you are having difficulties with seeing his character in the 'at home' setting then they are at least easy to overlook.

Read and enjoy the chapter that tried to suck out part of my soul! ^_^ (Took forever to write...)

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><p><strong>Step 5<strong>** – _Public Appearances_**

**You've taken the first monumental step to its fullest stretch, so now it is time to take smaller, dignified steps alongside your lover. Spend quality time with them out in the open, and reveal the relationship you've kept in the dark for so long. Allow your audience to watch your lover bloom in the light of acknowledgment and take pride in your selection. This is the time when you address everyone you have introduced your lover to, and make the statement that this is the love you seek in your life, that this is a relationship worth nourishing, and that this is the path you will proudly go down and consequences be damned.**

**WARNING: If you are committing this with a false lover, please be sure to set aside time for them and make sure to seek their attention. Also, keep a mental list of the things you find appealing, desirable, and respectable in them, as well as a list of things that annoy you. Both are natural in a healthy relationship, and each list deserves thorough appreciation and regards; just make sure that the first list balances with or outweighs the second…**

* * *

><p>Pausing in his departure, Sesshōmaru studied the <em>miko<em>, his hand resting on the _shōji_ panel. It was shortly after voicing her gratitude that she fell asleep in her drunken stupor, snoring faintly into the bedding. Before leaving he visually skimmed her figure again, taking his time with doing so. He had gone a little too far with the markings on her delicate body. Three bites was a lot, especially on a human, and the rents in her skin – narrow gashes which did not seal up immediately – made him wince inside. He would summon the _hiyōkai_ to mend her. They were particularly talented with such matters, though a little hard to persuade at times. Perhaps it was due to their fire based nature, or the fact that they were members of the elemental clans, rare numbers of_yōsoyōkai_. This _hiyōkai_, a female, was from the Northern Lands, an ambassador of sorts from the Northern Lady.

Her rooms were in one of the few basement chambers, actually requiring steps to enter the stone lined hall the room branched from. When he knocked on the door, a thick wooden door that swung on iron hinges, he was verbally granted permission to enter. Normally, he would have waited for a flare of _yōki_, and in her home lands she probably would have given it to a visitor, but their species of _yōkai_ were so different that Sesshōmaru could not even sense her energy.

Despite iron hinges, the door swung open quietly. "Hisa-_dono_," he greeted formally, closing the entrance and offering a measured bow of his head to the only object within the stone chiseled room. An elegant brazier, with special glowing coals and a low flame dancing over them. "I ask for your assistance."

The fire stirred, and flickered as a voice spoke, sounding weary. "Sesshomaru _Denka_. This is a surprise." As the voice strengthened, the flame roused slowly from its bed of coals. "It is the dead of night. What do you require?"

"My lover requires your skills in healing."

"She should be able to heal herself," stated the fire, s inking down low again. A curious flicker passed through it, as though a sudden and brief breeze had disturbed the flames in the draft-devoid room. "I have heard gossip through the candles. She is human?"

"Yes."

"What a surprise, coming from an _inu_." The flame grew, lighting the room like day, and spilled down the iron stand like water, forming into a free standing column on the charred stone floor. The flames billowed inward on themselves, growing in heat and density. A figure became outlined in bright white lines in quickly gathering fire, a face becoming obvious first, a body, limbs… In seconds a figure was formed from the condensing flames, momentarily naked. Clothing whisked into existence, sheer red silks fluttering out of thin air with a final flash of heat, drifting slowly down onto her limbs, fastened into place with gold chains embedded with egg sized diamonds. The _hiyōkai_ clans were as notorious for being rich with the wealth of their lava caves as they were for their promiscuous nature, so it was not surprising when her femininity was not fully hidden when the fires finished collapsing in on her figure. Dark, ashy colored skin blended in with the surroundings, and as she walked nearer he could feel the heat of her essence warming the air around her. o;I am impressed, Sesshōmaru _Denka_. It is rare for an _inuyōkai_ to set aside its cultural standards for passion. Please, take me to her."

He did, glancing periodically at the _hiyōkai_'s intriguing form. Her appearance fell under the standard for _hiyōkai_, from long pointed ears – over twice as long as his – to the soft and shimmer devoid white of her billowy hair, and her soft, darkly colored skin almost absorbed the light around her, devoid of shimmers or highlights as they walked. A _hiyōkai_'s eyes varied depending on their moods. At the moment, hers burned with intrigue, a warm yellow glow flickering in her face. If they shone black, or perhaps even orange considering the time, she most likely would not have bothered leaving the warmth of her coals. The female walked alongside him, hips undulating down the hall over bared feet, the clink of gold bracelets and anklets sounding with every step, hinting at the heavy beat of the music her kind produced, bringing forth images of their dancing which was as mesmerizing as the flames they were born from.

"Your eyes will dry if you continue to stare," she jested warmly, smirking up at him. _Hiyōkai _were prone to playing off of the discomforts of other _yōkai_. "Tell me, is it normal for her to be in this condition, seeing as this is her first time here?"

"No. She had not accepted my markings before now."

"Hm. And why now, pray tell?"

He rolled a shoulder. "You could blame the grade of sake stored here."

"Oh, yes," she agreed immediately with a twinkle in her eyes, which flickered to a higher heat of excitement, flashing white, "your sake burns very nicely, like the oils of the earth. It is a true pleasure to sip it, such flammable fun. It is a burning shame that other species can not enjoy the simple pleasures of an oil field." She shuddered in delight. "Give the fire wielders proper fuel, and our flames burn green."

… _Hiyōkai _certainly had their way with words. When they arrived to his quarters, the female drifted immediately for his rooms, making him wonder exactly _which_ candles she possessed throughout the _o-shiro_.

"Oh, my," she breathed, looking down at the dozing _miko _on the bloody bedding and clothes. "You were quite... passionate, I suppose. Did the two of you establish a safety word? If so, next time I recommend you slow down and actually _listen_ to the girl."

He almost told the female that the _miko_ had been fine with it, until he remembered her hand taking his and her asking him to stop. Perhaps it was not the alcohol talking...

"Poor dear," the female simpered, crawling and then sitting on the _futon_, brushing the _miko_'s hair aside. "Unfortunately, I must wait until her body has properly absorbed the alcohol. Otherwise I risk the chance of igniting her."

… "How long will that be?"

"A short while," Hisa replied, crossing her dark legs and regarding him calmly. "Just enough time for you to explain to me why you are pretending to be lovers." He frowned at her, and she smiled, her small canines flashing past dark, plump, pink tinted lips. "Before you can try and wriggle your way around a convincing lie, I recommend that you not attempt trickery of passion to someone as old and experienced as me, pup." She brushed the _miko_'s hair again, the smile on her face shrinking. "I will not tell. It is simply my price for helping her when I am able to. Humans are delicate creatures, so I also wish to make sure that you know what you are doing and do not accidentally kill her."

Unnerved, he sighed through his nose, settling more easily into his own skin once again. "How could you tell?"

"I do not need your easily tricked sense of smell in order to discover your lies." She set her hands into her lap, glancing around the room. "The fires of passion are not in these chambers. They have not been for the entirety of your stay here. It feels cold, and empty. Quite worthless, in other words." Yellow eyes fixed onto him. "You are a very lonely male. I can sense it. But you will be warmed, if you permit the opportunity to occur. Now stop stiffening your spine with indignation and explain to me why you have this poor _miko_ bleeding all over your bedding like some half-ass murder victim."

Resigning himself, Sesshōmaru prepared for a long night, and was grateful that they had no other unfamiliar species of _yōkai_ at the_o-shiro_. If a great meeting were taking place, he would be mildly terrified trying to think of each _yōkai_'s unique senses. In fact, he should have been prepared for Hisa's talents. If the thought had crossed his mind, he never would have roused her.

"The _miko _and I have reached an agreement. Should she be successful in putting an end to my mother's schemes, I will provide a service to her in turn."

"So vague," the female actually opened her mouth and sighed with obvious disappointment while leaning back on her hands. "_Inu_have **no** flare when it comes to stories." Reigning in her expression, she still contemplated him with a small pout. "Very well, how exactly do you plan on this _miko_ rendering an outcome you can not achieve yourself?"

Sesshōmaru glanced down at the human, who was still unconscious and would most likely not wake until late morning. "She is not constrained by the customs of my species. Also, she is emotionally weak and pliable, capable of behaving as necessary."

The female smiled up at him, bobbing a foot. "Such high talk. You care for her."

He glared at his guest. "She is a means to an end."

"Your means to an end should not hold enough sway to make you reassure that she was unconscious before speaking about her in such a manner. You know very well how she would have felt to hear those words."

"Her _feelings_ do not determine my opinions."

"Her _feelings_," the female argued happily, "determine _your_ feelings, you endearingly blind idiot. And before you go off on some formality choked self-defending escapade I will remind you that you are highly inexperienced in these matters and could use a guiding hand when attempting to pull such a frigidly stupid stunt. Now, since I know how clever humans can be, what conditions has she set in place?"

Sesshōmaru did his best to settle the muscles jumping in his clenched jaw. "Merely that her virginity remains intact."

The female stared at him, then slowly turned her head to assess the _miko_. "Well... you got the better end of that deal." Through her lashes she glanced up at him and smirked. He was quickly beginning to associate her humor and delight with an impending insult. "Do you enjoy the snuggling?"

That was not expected. At the same moment that he regained full control over his expression she began laughing at him. "Your amusements will cost you, _yōsoyōkai_."

"Oh, now we are generalizing my race," she giggled. "Quite frankly, I am as proud to be an elemental as you are to be an _inu_. Perhaps more so, seeing as my love life has no restraints." Clearing her throat, Hisa stroked the _miko_'s cheek, and then placed her hand on the human's bare back, humming slowly in thought. She was most likely inspecting her. It was aggravating that a_yosoyokai_'s energy signature was impossible for him or any non-elemental to see unless it took physical form. "That should be enough absorption." She sighed, frowned, and shifted on the _futon_ so as to hover both hands over the _miko_. "Hmm... Sesshōmaru_Denka_, what is it that you are running from?"

The question took him by unpleasant surprise. "I run from nothing."

"From nothing you are able to kill, certainly," the female stated, glancing up at the painting over his bed, her hands hovering over the _miko_ in a fashion more suitable to someone searching for something through muddy water. "It is impossible for you to kill your duties and your birthright, and the same goes for your ambitions and desires." She grinned and looked down once more when _ki_swirled through the _miko_. "It seems that our energies work in the same manner. How intriguing. I do not seek an answer from you, but at the very least I expect you to think on the question and answer it to yourself. You are rebellious, but not a complete idiot, so why do you refuse to walk forward on the path set before you? That should result in an interesting answer." She regarded him again, pursing her lips slightly in thought. "Figure out the answer before it has a chance to escape."

He ignored her, and she accepted the silence, focusing instead on the _miko_, her brow dropping down as the night wore on. Sesshōmaru could sense her difficulties in keeping the purifying energy under control, and felt it flare at her periodically.

"She is feisty," the female commented as markings slowly sealed one by one, leaving faint white lines in their wake. "I am sure you appreciate that from her."

"Not in regards to her attitude toward me."

Hisa laughed lightly. "You would benefit from more tests on your pride. It makes one live longer."

"That is nonsensical."

"Sense has nothing to do with it, the fact is simple logic." She wiped away some sweat, and grinned at the sight of the moisture on her hand before continuing with her endeavors. "If you are not as sure about your abilities, you think about your actions. If you think more about your nature and heart, the more likely you are to follow and satisfy them. Smart decisions and a happy life are always helpful in not dying. It truly is sad that your species has such a short lifespan."

"Our lifespan is extremely long."

"It truly is sad that your species has such a short life _expectancy_. My flame has burned for over eight thousand years now, and it will until something comes and extinguishes it." A weary exhale escaped her, and she paused in her work, settling on the _futon_ and marveling again at the sweat beaded on her face and chest. "I am not as strong at night as I am during the day. And her energy is a force to reckon with. Have you quarreled with her yet?"

Frowning, he glanced down at the _miko_ again. "Not directly."

The female smirked, lifting the sheer silk over her chest to wipe at her face. "Well, I suppose she was the one to engage you, and not the other way around." She leered humorously at him. "How romantic. Particularly for an _inu_. Tell me, why did you spare her?"

"Hn."

"Refusing to answer, are we?"

"Not to state that it is of any of your concern, but the _miko_ was too weak of an opponent for me to bother with."

"An opponent's strength has never stopped you before," Hisa commented. "Remember, I was considered old and wise when your mother was pushing you into this world, an event I assisted in. You may have enough pride to choke a flock of peacocks and have some left to spare, but no matter how you act you are still just a male and you are still a victim to emotions and instincts, particularly at this age, whether you enjoy the fact or not." She leaned back on one hand again, twisting her body in an alluring fashion. "While your glare is utterly adorable, I must advise you to stop thinking with your dignity and consider the values in your life. And considering the females pursuing you, I would keep in mind that so long as the _miko_ is here her life is in jeopardy. In fact, I am shocked that-"

Hisa trailed off and followed his gaze to the _miko_ as the young female shifted, winced, and moaned softly before slipping away again.

"Completely blind," Hisa muttered almost to herself, shaking her head at him. "I am shocked that you would leave her alone in this condition for any extended period of time. We could have arrived here to much more blood and gore than you were willing to provide." The thought disturbed him. Hisa leaned forward and abruptly grabbed his wrist. A wave of heat coursed through him in an instant, rippling from head to toe as her touch burned his skin. Alarmed, he yanked away from her an instant after being seized, but the _yōki_ swirling urgently through him found nothing to heal. "Just as I suspected," the female sighed, and resumed her actions with the _miko_. "You will realize it sooner or later, I suppose. One cannot verbally will a rock to ignite."

He had heard of _hiyōkai_ and their skills in assessing another with touch, that it was even a show of caring and good intention, but never had he experienced it. It was very unpleasant. _Yōsoyōkai_ were typically emotional beings, capable of behaving akin to their elements. _Hiyōkai_, for all intensive purposes, were spontaneous and emotional, but usually presented a happy disposition, particularly when near more of their own kind, and particularly not around the water-based _mizuyōkai_. By the time Hisa could not endure any longer, the _miko_'s wounds were all sealed, but the latter ones Hisa had focused on were red and irritated, not white and pristine.

"Humans are not as terrible as you are conditioned to believe," Hisa commented, watching the girl slumber. "In fact, I enjoy them far more than I do another _yōkai_, particularly those outside of the _yōsoyōkai_ clans. When I was a young spark, I would sneak away from home and possess the fires of simple village people, listening in on their stories and watching how they made the best use of their time here. It is a popular exploit of the youth, and our young adults still enjoy watching over humans, even accompanying them on their travels, swinging in the lanterns, warding off predators." Sadly, she glanced up at the painting. "It is a shame that you were not able to foster such a bond. Elements enjoy humans, work with them, support them, even fall in love with them, but humans and animals have always known animosity to one degree or another.

Sesshōmaru watched as she stood, settling her transparent silks before directing a stern stare at him, trying to see into the back of his head.

"This encounter has made me quite suspicious on the differences between her energies and my own. It even reminds me of a legend of the fifth element. I should like to attempt training her, Sesshōmaru _Denka_, for one part of every day."

The proposition took him completely by surprise. "Train her in what?"

"Her energies," Hisa replied, smiling. "As you well know, not many of her kind are very tolerant of us. This is an opportunity I refuse to pass up on, and I will provide the protection she needs while you are busy with your duties during the day. I should like to keep her from, say, mid- to three-quarters day."

He narrowed his eyes at her, and she offered a small smile. "It seems that _hiyōkai_ should also be known for their invasive curiosity."

"It really is a bother," she sighed, as though it was a burden on her and no one else. "Can you genuinely blame me though? Life here is so dull, particularly when the council is not in session."

"Hn." She did stay on that brazier of hers when she was not called upon, so candle hopping would be a good source of entertainment. She probably spoke with others in the same fashion as well. He felt his expression darken at another suspicion. "Do you engage the elder of the servants often in conversation?"

"Ooh, sharp pup," she complimented, found out. "The fires of passion really are lacking in this room though. I highly advise you change that soon, it is such a gloomy feeling."

"You have permission to leave," he stated, bitter.

"And the training?"

"If you leave immediately, you have my permission."

A grin was the last thing he saw of her before an explosion of heat rattled objects is his room and tugged at the fabric of his clothing, jostling the painting and _shōji _as well. Her essence retreated into the lanterns in his rooms, lit only for the _miko_'s convenience.

"Leave _entirely_, not simply from my awareness."

"Tsk." A lantern flickered as she left it, and he began to highly consider wards for his chambers. He had not sensed her, but a sneaky suspicion of being watched had given her away.

As though chilled by the silence, the _miko_ groaned in her sleep, and her arm fumbled for cloth. Finding the sleeve of her _kimono_, she lazily pulled it over her while rolling onto her back. The bloodied fabric settled partially over her torso, and she continued to roll, settling on her side, tucking up her feet.

Smiling, Sesshōmaru sat at the end of the _futon_ and examined one of those feet. They were narrow, her toes resting against one another in a gentle arc. Her toenails were like her fingernails in terms of the patterns, but while the first was half again the size of her thumbnail the others were mere tidbits, half the size of her pinky nail and shrinking along with the toes. He could think of no defensive use for them, and pondered over their existence. Her pinky toe's nail caught his eye. It was a little oddity, as though it could not make up its mind on what form it wished to take. The nail was under control, and did not appear too abnormal at first glance, but it was thicker than the others, slightly misshapen. He teased it with a claw, feeling grooves in the surface, indicating some filing down. A part of him wished to see it as it was naturally, wished to continue playing with that little toe, which actually did not look much like a toe at all when he thought about it; far too accustomed to being constrained. It made him smirk – she was such an oddity – and as he pulled away from her foot he noticed a small brown dot in the gentle arc of its underside. He had noticed these while marking her, and the little spots were intriguing, but for some reason it seemed particularly rare to find it down there.

Curious, he examined her other foot. It was fairly devoid of character, as disappointing as that was. Her pinky toe nail was a clean little shape, a groomed little rectangle, and when he searched he found no special markings on her leg until getting to her calf, on which was a perfectly round little scar. It probably had a story. He had found many hints of her past across her skin. It was very intriguing. Even before he was weaned off his pelt, he never kept injuries for long. An adult, or sometimes his older sisters, would find him with some childish injury, and manipulate his _yōki_ through the filtering pelt for him, healing him. Once he was trained off of it, learned how to control the flow of dangerous energy himself, the pelt became an energy storage; a filter of sorts still, but if he were to be rendered depleted it was a decent last defense.

Coming out of his thoughts, he found himself searching for markings on her, and wondered why these little details – the fur on her lower leg was cut short, and her left heel had a small dry split in it – were so damned interesting. The foot with the dot had a dark little circular scar on the inner ankle, as though she injured – perhaps cut – herself there often for some reason, and below that if her foot was bent at a slight angle faint purple lines webbed shallow under her skin, veins. He could waste away a day just discovering these little details on her, and mix it in with two more days to hear the stories hidden on her body. He had no stories like these on his skin. His markings were a sign of his heritage, the slashes being on him since birth and promising his future strength, and shortly after his birth he was given the crescent of his clan, marking his bloodline. On his one-thousandth year it would be touched up for the final time, since his growth would be complete. He naturally healed injuries, but the ink – a special formula, granted – was not an injury, it was simply a part of him. It had been a part of his half-siblings as well, but when their status was taken away so was the symbol, cut from their brows. The skin healed and was left unmarked, but the pain was said to be remarkably excruciating. The mark was a part of his mother as well, but only once she became the alpha female. When her mate died, the mark was widened, the crescent fattened slightly, and she was entitled as Lady of the Western Lands until Sesshōmaru came of age. The only one to have ever misunderstood his title – or rather, simply refused to believe otherwise – was Jaken and those he had squawked at. Thankfully the little _yōkai_ was off surveying the soldier camps with Sheng for a few more days. The elder male judged the imp as a good source of amusement and kept him around as a scholar of sorts. It was Jaken's preference in the face of becoming his mother's pet. Sesshōmaru should have just left the nuisance with his own kind.

A small grunt of pain escaped the _miko_ as her foot pulled away and then kicked feebly at his hand. He supposed that inspecting the slit in her heel was a bad idea, particularly since it began to bleed. It was a slow bleed, a surprise considering the veins were right there.

"Stop it," the _miko_ grumbled tiredly as he used a corner of her clothing to dab at her weeping skin. "Lemme sleep..."

"You are bleeding," he informed. Her lack of a response had him glancing at her face. By all appearances she was asleep again.

Sighing, he left her foot alone, and stood. Early morning tinted the sky outside. Opening the _shōji_ to his private garden, he stepped onto the _engawa_ lining it and sat in _agura_, crossing his legs. This was his favorite time of day, when the mists of night crawled like lost souls across the ground, seeking shelter from the light that would ban them from this reality until the following day. His eldest sisters had been nothing if not fantastic storytellers. For nearly a decade he had been scared of the dark because of their tales of the mists, saying that only the glow of sunlight made them visible, and during the night, when it was dark, they would seep invisible into rooms. They said that every time he had a nightmare, it meant he had inhaled one of them in his sleep, and it would eat his_yōki _until he awoke. It took two whole months for him to collapse into exhaustion after first hearing that, and it had been a terribly restless sleep, full of nightmares. The distant memory made him smirk. He would undoubtedly tell his pups such stories. Especially if they had furry ears on top of their heads, ones that swiveled with their moods.

"It is very pretty out."

Startled, he glanced over his shoulder. The _miko_ lay on his _futon_, staring through tormented eyes at the garden. She was smiling softly though, smiling at him, then yawned into the bedding.

"I feel like death warmed over," she whispered, pulling the blanket over her, wrapping herself quite thoroughly before moaning. "And my head is killing me. I would still be asleep-" she yawned, and sighed, "-if not for you making it so cold in here."

Smirking, he turned away from her, watching his past nightmares slip along the ground. It was amazing how terrifying something moving so slowly was for a youth. The rustle of fabric met his ears, as well as more low groaning whimpers of pain and a surprised revelation of her being naked. After some time she approached, and he looked over to see her rolled head to toe in the blanket, her hair a mess framing her face. Like a plump caterpillar, she settled onto her knees, wincing over her head, and then flopped onto her front. Once the blanket was pinned by her body, her arms worked their way out, and she crossed them to rest her chin on.

"The fog is pretty," she commented softly, keeping her voice down. "My mother told me once that it breathes energy into the plants, waking them up for the sun."

"Hn."

She laughed faintly, staring at the mist. "Did you sleep?"

"No."

"Mm." Her thoughts seemed slow. He fully expected her to drift back off to sleep, given the opportunity. "Did you heal me?"

"No. That was the work of Hisa, a _hiyōkai_."

"Fire?" the _miko_ muttered, yawning again. "Oh, an elemental? I thought _yōsoyōkai_ were very rare."

"They are depending on a region."

"Mm." She shifted. "My skin feels tight. You marked me up a lot."

"And I will again soon. Do you remember the event?"

"Hmm... Bits and pieces." She nestled even more snugly into the crook of an arm, resting her eyes. "You bit me a few times. And clawed my ass and hips horribly." She took a deep, calm breath, enjoying the chilled morning air. "My inner thighs, that hurt a bit. My back, too. Arms... You were very thorough." Tucking an arm back into the blanket, she squirmed, moving it around. "My chest, too, you pervert." The limb reappeared, and she tucked her fingers under the wrist supporting her chin.

"Why are you out here?"

"Because you are very pretty in this lighting." He glanced down at her, and saw her eyes closed, a small smile on her face. "That is one reason. I really like this time of day though, and twilight. Plus, you looked lonely."

He scoffed lightly, the last remark echoing against Hisa's, making him acknowledge a slight hollowness in his chest. "And you look absolutely miserable."

She mimicked the noise. "It is that damned sake of yours. What is it, _yōkai _grade? But, sure, maybe _I_ am lonely. Misery loves company, after all."

He had never heard that saying before. It was clever, and terribly accurate. "Do you miss your home?"

"Which one?" she asked, exhaling wearily yet again. "Well, yes, to both. My family is in the future. Sōta is in his last year of high school now, and by coming here I took a chance of never seeing my grandfather alive again. As for the village, I am so used to providing for people after three years that it feels weird having no one to care for. I have no duties right now. Well, except to look pretty, speak proper and pretend to be a lover." A sad expression shadowed her face as she spoke, and dimmed only slightly when she questioned him. "What should I look out for from the females?"

"Treachery," he supplied easily, thinking on Hisa's words. "I do not want you to eat or drink anything without me being present."

"Poison?"

"Hm."

"Ugh... Alright. Too bad you do not have Tenseiga still, then you could revive me as much as necessary."

"Once."

"Once?"

He nodded. "There is a limit."

"But, Rin died twice," the _miko_ commented.

"Indeed."

Instead of hunting for details, the girl hummed in thought. "I suppose the grim reaper will finally be satisfied on the third go. Rin is very healthy and full of life, active and adventurous but still cautious, and she follows a good diet and watches her health. I expect her to live into her late fifties or longer." Moving her fingers beneath her collarbone, the _miko_ appeared nervous. "What if the females want to fight me?"

"They have that right. But they will not."

The _miko_ blinked. "Why?"

"You have become quite powerful," he stated, looking away from her and leaning back onto a splayed hand, lifting a knee to rest his arm on. "They say that to accept death from spiritual energies is to accept death everlasting."

Slanting his eyes her way, the _miko _blushed and looked elsewhere, playing with her lip between her teeth. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"Do you not?"

"Of course I do," she stated hesitantly. "I am Kikyo's reincarnation, after all. It is just odd... well, odd to..."

"Do not stutter. Simply say it."

"Well, you believe in it, so you acknowledge death in your future."

"Death comes to everything."

"Yes, but... I can not imagine you dying." She yawned again, shifting. "Not to boost your ego, but you seem timeless. Like it does not have permission to touch you." A lazy smirk crossed her face. "Then again, I will grow gray hair and have grandchildren someday, and you will look exactly as you do now."

"I am still aging," he stated. "Merely at a slower pace. It is impossible to escape time."

"If it is a matter that someone can travel through, then it is a matter that someone can escape," she stated wearily, drifting off again. "I have seen the other _inu_. They are pretty, but do not appear timeless."

Normally, he would not fall to curiosity. Normally. "How do the two features correspond?"

"Hmm..." She sounded tired. "Well, they are pretty, and that is it. Your mom is beautiful, and the two females I have seen are as well. But... You are just stupid-pretty."

He frowned. "What?"

"In the right light, you look like a _kami_," she stated, glancing up at him through a cracked eyelid. "Kind of. A vengeful _kami_." She gave a disappointed grunt. "It just is not fair that a male is prettier than me."

"Hm. The proper term is handsome."

"Hmm, 'gorgeous'."

He smirked again. Like a _kami_, eh?

"A lethal gorgeous," she mumbled faintly, almost unintelligibly. "Stupid-pretty predator... Mmm... What the hell'd I get myself into...?"

Ready to remind her of her speech issues, he glanced down. Nothing much had changed about her position, she simply was no longer conscious. Regardless, he stilled where he sat, watching her sleep, watching her live. A slowing calm settled on him, foreign and comforting. A quiet lightness developed in his chest, the slow beat of his heart echoing in the silence of his existence. The _miko_ was at peace with herself, almost enviably so, despite her distraught appearance.

"Messy," he muttered, uncomfortable with the silence, trying to be disappointed in her lack of perfection. Instead, he brushed her hair aside, lightly, not wishing to disturb her, and the corners of his lips lifted ever so slightly for no reason at all. When her hair was under control he shifted slightly, ready to sit and ignore her. His hand did not leave her. Slowly the smile fell as that lightness grew heavy with the thought of pulling away. Hesitant, he lowered his hovering fingers, caressed them gently along her face, feeling the slopes and dips, the warmth of life in her. Her cheek was soft, the tip of her ear an intriguing curve, the arc of her dark lashes perfectly imperfect as they stretched from the slopes of her eyelids. His claws carefully repositioned her bangs, which were a bit longer than he remembered. She was growing them out.

Something small and innocent drifted a thought across his mind. She had made a mistake. She should be disciplined. The lightness in his chest shuddered temptingly, disturbing him slightly as his claws slid through her hair and encountered small and weak snags. It tickled in his throat, sent unfamiliar warmth slowly through him. Time slowed, lowered to its belly and refused to disturb him as his thumb stroked the skin just beneath her lashes, his claw brushing them gently, the warmth spread evenly through him growing in temperature.

_"Will you remember these events?"_ Abnormally calm, he bent down to her, and pressed his lips to her brow. The action should have felt different. He should have been ashamed by it. Instead, he felt... good. The weightlessness in his chest heated, and although it felt empty, like he was missing something, it was a good feeling.

Time slowly started again for him. It felt like the sun should have been over the horizon, but the garden was still cast in the light of predawn, the mists still curled curiously across the dewy grass. He pulled away, this time the sensation in him undisturbed by the distance, and he reclaimed his hand, wondering what it was he had just felt, wondering if it meant anything.

Content, he remained where he sat, studying the surroundings, smirking for no reason at all. The _miko_ was right. It was indeed a very pretty sight.

* * *

><p>The birds were loud and obnoxious as Kagome woke, trying to block them out and ducking deeper into the rolled blanket. It did not work.<p>

Groaning, she gave in, and popped her head out of the blanket. The environment had her mentally tripping for a moment. Sesshōmaru. He had been sitting out here, almost in a state of zen, watching nothing in particular. She had gotten out of bed, thoughts swimming, wrapped in the blanket, and came to see how he was doing. He had looked so comfortably lonely. So perfectly isolated. Last night still disturbed her. Not the drunken scratch-fest, but the cuddling that led up to it, and how empty he had seemed.

Turning her head, she found the wood of the _engawa_, and nothing more. She had fully expected to, but a small disappointment tugged down on her spirits. He was terrible company; she should feel _glad_ that he was gone.

Getting up, which was a small effort since her head throbbed, she held the blanket around her closely, mentally fumbling to sense Sesshōmaru. Instead she found Chiro, standing out in the _rōka_ again. She was so innocent and perfectly obedient, ready to do anything asked of her, it made Kagome smile.

Not wanting her to stand out there all day, she raised her voice. "I'm awake!" Her eyes bulged at the knife that dug straight through her skull to land squarely in her sanity. Her hands shot up to her temples, and she sagged back, landing against a support beam. A whimpering squeal trickled out of her throat. Oh, _kami_, her head **hurt**!

The _shōji_ slid open onto the _engawa_, and a worried Chiro quickly approached, gently taking her shoulders. "Kagome _Hidenka_?"

"Whisper," she pleaded quietly, wincing. To think that irony would have the last laugh, and redirected all the pain she had avoided in body straight to her cranium. "Please whisper. My head is split open."

"It appears fine."

"Appearances are _horribly_ deceiving," Kagome grated out, clinging to the beam. That was going to be her first and last encounter with sake. "Please get me some water and medicine if you would."

"How much?"

Her head was going to definitely explode. Or implode. It felt like with every heartbeat it was fluctuating inward and outward. She never should have yelled. She was so appreciative that Sesshōmaru had been quiet that morning, courteously matching her tone. "Enough to kill a small animal." It throbbed again. "To kill a horse. I do not know, just please go get something."

Chiro first helped her to the _futon_, then ran out of the chambers. Kagome eased onto the pillow and lifted an arm over her brow, hoping the weight would at least keep her head from inflating on _one_ side.

"You poor dear. Humans always have such a low tolerance for alcohol."

Kagome sat up and stared around the room, and immediately regretted it, particularly when she found no one. "Who is there?"

"Can you sense me?"

Glancing around through one slit open eye, she studied the room again. Then she stretched out her senses. Initially, she did not find anything. _"There _is_ something here though..."_ She studied the room again, critically. Slowly, her attentions were drawn to the lamp in the corner of the room. She stared at it, thinking, wondering over the ever so faint vibe she felt. Then she noticed that it was the only lit lamp at midday. She frowned at it.

"Very good." The flame flickered, and she felt the vibe strengthen into an odd nature of _yōki_. Or maybe it was not _yōki_ at all. Just because she could sense it did not mean it was one thing and one thing only. "Get dressed, _miko_, and search for me. This is your first test."

The flame died, and she blinked at the lifeless lamp.

After some time passed, she decided to get up and suffer through the headache, rummaging slowly and quietly through drawers built into the wall and concealed by sliding _fusuma_ doors, thick in material and painted upon for aesthetic appeal. She dressed herself in a _hadajuban _and_ nagajuban_, and had their two belts tied, but was having difficulty with the thick band of fabric when Chiro returned.

"Should you not rest?" the girl inquired with concern, a tray in hand with a teacup and a teapot with steam coming from the spout.

"I have better things to do with my day," she replied quietly with a small smile, her head still hurting. "Is that the medicine?"

Chiro nodded, and quickly set it on a chest in the room, the only other piece of furniture aside from the _futon_ and standing lamps in the corners. The girl poured a precise amount of tea, and hurried over, handing the steaming cup to Kagome in exchange for the_datemaki_. Kagome sipped the tea with her elbows uplifted so Chiro could work more easily, savoring the hint of honey. The sash was tied when Kagome finished the serving, and Chiro took the small, tall-walled cup to refill it, then returned.

"Do you prefer a particular color today?"

"Mm," Kagome hummed around another sip, then swallowed. "Red."

The girl nodded, and withdrew a beautiful – okay, they were all beautiful – _kimono_, decorated with familiar white six petal and hollow centered flowers and black birds. Kagome loved being wrapped in it, savored the silks, and kept her arms out as it was adjusted and properly bound around her. The _honobi_ was a fine white silk, decorated with light blue and black patterns. As Chiro finished a small breakfast arrived, at least it was small for how much the servants itched to bring in. All of the food could have been arranged on one plate, but still it took four individuals to bring in the food, then there were two more to bear drinks, one of them with water and another with regular tea, and yet another delivered chopsticks and a napkin of sorts as well as a broth spoon.

Everything was arranged quickly and professionally, and they all left with bows and murmurs of their happiness to serve, including her consort title.

"Kagome _Hidenka_," Chiro began, the title practically echoing in the room, "are the proportions ideal?"

"They are fine," she replied with a smile, taking a seat at the table and digging in. Her head was feeling much better, and surprisingly quickly. "Do you know where Sesshōmaru is?"

"He is in the scholar chambers."

"And what is he doing there?"

"Perhaps looking into the records," Chiro suggested.

That actually seemed quite amusing. "Where are these chambers?"

"My apologies," Chiro stated with a small bow. "Only direct family, members of the council and those of great status are permitted in the scholar chambers."

Slightly disappointed, Kagome nodded. It was a bit of a retreat for him, it seemed. "I would like to meander today. Please have a midday and an evening meal delivered here, I will eat them when I become hungry."

Looking a little dejected, Chiro bowed in acceptance and left. Kagome finished her meal and relieved herself in private, then began to hunt for that sensation, that aura which spoke to her through the flame. She had devised a clever strategy for hunting it down, figuring that the halls were laid in a grid pattern throughout the _o-shiro_, but as she walked she veered, toward the heart of the great castle, following a sense of accuracy. Eventually she found herself peering into three rooms encircled in a square by halls. One of the rooms was twice as big as the other two, but she never found what she sought. Instead, she walked circles around the area, knowing that she was near where she needed to be and yet not.

Deciding to ask a servant for help, she looked up to find someone, and was surprised to see a vaguely familiar figure walking merrily off. It was Meiling, and she had quite the expectant smile on her face.

Thinking it was odd, Kagome looked for someone else as the female disappeared out of sight. Eventually, a young servant boy said that there were chambers _beneath_ the rooms, and he led her to the door that gave access to these chambers. It was an actual door, heavy and wooden, but it still swung open silently on well-maintained hinges.

It took a few minutes for the boy to return with a lantern for her to see by, and without qualms he led her down the stone stairs. The hall was surprisingly dry, not damp with the earth at all, and the stone was well maintained. The stairs entered the hall and from there you could go either left or right. She led him left, then left again, following something akin to a suspicion. The sensation she hunted for grew close, and she could almost see it through the walls as they stopped outside of a door.

"Enter."

The voice was familiar. It was the same as before, but its sudden appearance was a small shock; as was the fact that it came from _next_ to her. Figuring it was the lantern even before she finished turning her head to it, she smiled as the servant stared at the possessed object in his clawed hand. Filled with minor achievement, she opened the door herself, and peered into the dimly lit room.

"You are excused, servant," came a voice from the darkness. "Take the lantern with you."

Kagome looked at the boy as he bowed toward the room and left. "But I-"

"Enter, _miko_."

Feeling resigned, she did, closing the door. The room was dim, but not so much as to severely limit her vision. Unless the dark and secretive corners of the room hid things, she would guess that the only objects in the room were a standing brazier and two small floor cushions between her and said brazier.

"You are on time. That is promising. Sit."

A little unnerved, she did so, adjusting her _kimono_ slightly while sitting formally in _seiza_.

"I suppose you would enjoy introductions."

"Very much so," Kagome replied, smiling. She remembered Sesshōmaru commenting on a _hiyōkai_, and she was greatly suspecting that this was it. "I prefer extending my thanks to a physical being."

The low flames on the brazier flickered. "Hm. It seems that Sesshōmaru is quite talkative around you."

"He can be. It takes a bit of effort though, on my part."

"Do you like listening to him?"

"That depends on the subject," she admitted with a smile, watching the flames grow. "Normally, we argue, in which case I can not afford to simply listen to him. In fact, it is quite difficult to tolerate his opinion sometimes."

A light laugh filled the room as flames spilled like water from the brazier onto the floor, condensing quickly in on themselves into a figure. It was a woman, wearing-

Kagome looked away. She was naked!

"You may look."

She did, relieved that clothing appeared, and stared at breasts barely even _tinted_ by the sheer red silk.

"Is this normal for you?" Kagome asked, still staring.

"Indeed. There is no need for you to feel embarrassed for me."

Blinking furiously, she looked away again, to the female's feet. It was one thing to be a _miko_ and look at someone when they needed medical attention. It was a completely other thing to look at them because they were flaunting themselves.

"Your bashfulness is adorable," the female commented. "It is no wonder that Sesshōmaru has tripped over you into the fiery pits of passion.

_"Tripped over..." _Kagome felt a blush creep up her neck and tried to swallow it down. "He-" What was there to say to that, particularly now that she started? "He is not that clumsy. Also, I am just his lover."

"Mates are obligations," the female commented. "Lovers are choices of the heart." The female came and knelt down before her, silks taking their time in settling. "Tell me," a dark gray hand feeling of warm velvet covered hers. "What do you feel for him?"

Kagome must have shone like the sun, because her blush sent a huge wave of heat throughout her body. "I..." The female's eyes burned yellow, hypnotic, and flashed white.

"Do you want to support him?"

She blinked. "Yes. Yes, I do."

"And if he needs protection?"

Kagome swallowed, throat dry. "Then I will protect him."

"Do you want to be by his side?"

Memories of lying together crossed her mind, the heat coursing through her heightening, and to her horror her answer was true. "Yes."

The female smiled sweetly. "Do you love him?"

Kagome closed her gaped mouth, wetting a dry tongue. "I do." _"I don't! I can't!"_ The spoken words echoed into the depths of her mind, and she was so overheated that it was dizzying. Delirious. She was simply delirious. She felt no such things for Sesshōmaru.

The female took her hand away, seeming older than her mature appearance revealed. Oddly enough, the heat went with it. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Higurashi Kagome _Hidenka_. Please call me Hisa."

The subject changed, and relief filled her. "The pleasure is all mine. Please, call me Kagome. Pardon my asking, but what title do you prefer?"

"No title," Hisa replied.

"But... you are not weak. At all. You must have a position here."

"I am the ambassador for the Northern Lands in the service of the Lady Akira no Kazan, Last Daughter of Hijiori of Honshū, Ruling Empress of the Northern Lands of Japan."

Kagome blinked. "That is a... very impressive title."

Hisa smirked. "Sesshōmaru's will be longer." At her ease, the female settled onto the other cushion, seeming to be in quite the good mood. "After his birth name and personal title comes his father's name and personal title, then his grandfather's name and personal title, then Sesshōmaru's court title assigned by the _inu_ Emperor, birth rights, land of origin, family affiliation within the court of mainland China, land of territory, and finally his undertaking of the title _Inu no Taishō_."

Kagome took a deep breath. "That is so..."

"Impressive?" Hisa supplied as Kagome thought of the right word.

"Stupid."

The female laughed bright and freely. "So it is. _Inu_ are very finicky about titles though, particularly for those who stand in line for the Emperor's position.

Kagome blinked. "Sesshōmaru is related to the leader of _inuyōkai_?"

"They are cousins," Hisa answered. "If Kueng died, and still failed to produce a male heir, Sesshōmaru stands next in line for the throne of China." She slanted a look at Kagome. "_If_ he were mated and titled, replacing his father."

Kagome's eyes nearly popped out of her face, her anger boiling. _"That foolish... incoherent... testosterone-driven... power-hungry_**halfwit**_! How _**dare**_ he shove me between himself and power in his mother's eyes! I am going to _**beat**_ that moron's _**teeth**_ in if her army doesn't get at me first!"_

"You seem startled."

"Only mildly infuriated," Kagome assured happily. She was going to skin him.

"Why? Did he not bring the subject up?"

"Not even a hint of it," she stated through her teeth. Skin him with his own damned swords, that's what she was going to do!

"You should be delighted. You may drive Meiling away, and claim the title as his alpha mate."

Kagome blinked. "What?"

"If an appointed mate forsakes her rights," Hisa explained calmly, "the female who triumphs takes her place, and mates the male she has fought for."

Something very big and important cracked inside of Kagome's very soul. Mentally, she began picking up the pieces splintered off of that cracked something. "That... can change, right?"

"No. Well, in a way, I suppose. Sometimes both females die, or the male does. Aside from that, tradition is tradition, although this is a lesser known one." She hummed in thought. "I wonder if that pup even knows about it. Probably not." She smiled for Kagome. "You should feel delighted."

"Delighted..." she repeated. Outside, she was calm, collected. Inside, she dug her nails into her little face in mortified horror and ran shrieking endlessly to every corner of her mind, searching hopelessly for an escape from her own body. "Yes... Delighted... Positively thrilled..." This was _bad_. Very, very, very bad.

"You are hyperventilating."

"I am... Just, _so_... **Excited**..." Her hands flexed on her lap for something sharp and lethal. He was a dead man! Dead man walking! His grievous sins crossed the last shred of her patience! She was going to _rip_ out his spine, and shove it _right_ up his-_oh_... She felt lightheaded, and the world spun rudely without her.

* * *

><p>"Sesshōmaru," Meiling snipped, naked and quite disappointed when he froze over her. Something sent foreboding chills violently up his spine, and all bodily arousal the female beneath him had conjured disappeared in an instant, making her pout while studying him. "You look as though someone has your head gripped between their teeth."<p>

It certainly _felt_ that way...

* * *

><p>"Careful," Hisa cautioned, catching Kagome before she could collapse on the floor, smiling as though at a very funny personal joke. "Take slow, deep breaths.<p>

Kagome obeyed, trying to wipe her mind of deliciously agonizing tortures coming Sesshōmaru's way. Eventually her thoughts cleared up, her body obeying her again.

"Now then," the female stated happily, helping her to sit up. "Time to begin your training."

"Training?" Kagome repeated, curious. "In what?"

"In manipulating your energies," Hisa replied, smiling. "I healed you, and noticed that our energy signatures are not very different. I want to test your limits."

This took Kagome by surprise. "But, we are not alike at all."

"Or perhaps we are," she stated. "Have you heard the legend of the fifth element?"

Kagome furrowed her brow while studying this cryptic female sitting before her. "I know of the five basic elements; fire, earth, metal, water and wood."

"That is another class of elements," Hisa stated, waving a dismissive hand. "The five I refer to are fire, earth, water, wind, and the void; which was also known as 'sky' or 'heaven', but the wind clan supposedly guarded those terms aggressively."

"I have heard that combination," Kagome stated, nodding to herself. "What of them?"

"These were the five ruling elements of old," Hisa stated. "They were all equal in number and power, and all were respected as the strongest to be found. The fifth element, the _sorayōkai_, convened together one day, and then in their entirety they died."

Kagome frowned. "That seems awfully sudden."

"It was. Thousands of stone statues of abandoned bodies were found later on, the fabric of clothing tugging at adults, children, and infants alike. Their abandoned records revealed a great desire held throughout their race. They wanted to be whole, and to join the cycle of the planet's life as opposed to remain outside of it, long living and rebellious to nature. As a species, they were acutely aware of their segregation from the rest of the world, ranked with _yōkai _yet specializing in anti-_yōkai _energy, and it ate away at them, not properly belonging anywhere." Hisa sighed. "Nothing much was thought of this, seeing as it happened millions of years ago, if at all. Some say that they simply chose to stop existing. Most do not believe the legend though, a story reserved for the young."

"What do you believe?" Kagome inquired, drawn into the story. She was quite the sucker for story time.

The female grinned. "I believe I may have found them."

"Really?" she asked, excited. "Where?" She stared as Hisa's hand lifted, and her finger pointed straight at Kagome.

"They have entered the normal life cycle," Hisa stated. "But their powers remain in their souls. Every _yōkai_ knows that their species existed before humans climbed out of the trees, but no one really knew why they began to change, or why they adopted our forms, or why some of them were born capable of purifying _yōkai_. I wonder if those born with the ability are reincarnated souls of_sorayōkai_, the _yōkai_ incapable of belonging, the _yōkai_ designed by nature to destroy others.

Kagome stared. _Yōkai_? Her world tried to flip upside down, and simply couldn't. This was far too spontaneous and ridiculous to believe. "What are you talking about?"

"I do not expect you to believe me," Hisa assured openly. "I do seek your compliance in testing this theory though, in a moment. Tell me, how aware are you of your surroundings?"

"Sometimes, not at all," Kagome stated.

"Have you ever known who was around you without looking at them? Or have you been capable of playing with matter and its placement in space?"

Hesitantly, she sucked in her lips. "Both."

"Please tell me about your experiences."

She sighed. "When I was young, my friends and I would play a game that required I know who was behind me. I never lost in that game. I have also made my arrows pass through objects." _"And have time traveled..."_

Hisa smiled. "Warriors can rarely create this ability in themselves with severe training. It is called the 'void', and it came naturally to _sorayōkai_, masters of energy and the invisible aspects to life, including the spirit, creativity, thought, and power sourced from pure energy." The female stared, amused. "You access the void freely."

Shifting, feeling extremely uncomfortable and wondering if the female before her was completely sane, Kagome ventured a question. "What do I have to do?"

"One simple thing," Hisa stated, smiling yet again. A promising smile. A dangerously curious smile. "Live."

* * *

><p>Sesshōmaru opened the <em>shōji<em> to his quarters, and paused, frowning. The _miko_ was not there.

Food and drink sat ready and waiting to be consumed. Innately drawn to it, he inspected the meal, smelling and tasting bits and pieces, assuring its safety to eat. The _miko_ had sat at the table recently, her scent wafting cold from the cushion. She had dined already that day.

"Hn." Thoroughly displeased, he left. The _miko_ was most likely with Hisa, as dreadful as that idea was. It did not take long for him to find himself walking down the underground hall, flaring his energy in warning. Without knocking, he opened the door.

Hisa made a disappointed 'tsk' as the _miko_ stared at the door, looking an odd mix of infuriated and terrified.

"Next time," the female stated, smiling up at Sesshōmaru. "Good evening. Did you enjoy your day, Sesshōmaru _Denka_?"

He glared at her, then regarded the _miko_, those odd tingles working faintly up his back again. "This session is finished. Come."

"Look at the dog barking commands," the girl bit out, her emotions settling on fury. "You and I have something to discuss."

Expression flat, he glanced at Hisa, who was conveniently picking her nails. He did not trust her to tell the _miko_ the facts, thereby gaining an upper hand with the girl. Just in case, he closed the heavy door before speaking. "Your teacher is already aware of our arrangement, _miko_. Speak freely."

The human gaped at him, and then swung her head to Hisa. "Wait. You-?" The mischievous female grinned. "You asked me-! You _told_ me-!"

"I never lied," Hisa warned, delighted. "But I did leave you to suspect my ignorance. I do love watching humans, after all."

The _miko_'s back stiffened, and she allowed both Hisa and Sesshōmaru to share in her glare. "GAH!"

Hisa chuckled.

"Tell him!" Kagome yelled. "I don't know all the details, so tell him!" She pointed an oddly dangerous finger at him. "And you damn well better not kiss me for the slip-up, I am in _no_ mood to deal with you!"

"Disciplinary kissing?" Hisa questioned, absolutely shocked. "**Disciplinary**? Oh, Sesshōmaru, it is no _wonder_ she is not falling as hard for you as you a-"

"Do not change the subject," Sesshōmaru interrupted angrily. "What have you told her?"

"Well, there is this fascinating story about the fifth element-"

"Hisa," the _miko_ practically growled.

"Keh! You two are no fun. I informed her on the technicality of her success in driving Meiling away."

She paused for dramatic effect. Curious, he glanced at the _miko_, who had her arms crossed and was looking away. When he remained silent she glanced at him, blushed furiously, and hid her face with a groan.

"Continue."

"You are obligated to have a mate once the process has begun," Hisa informed. "It is an old custom, but the male is free to present a rival female for any he is partnered with without his consultation."

"Continue," he bit out, fed up with her short silences.

"Tsk. Well, what this means is that the _miko_ is free to fight Meiling."

There was no issue that he could see, which had his glare deepening. There was something he did not see yet. "She certainly may, but Meiling will not instigate the challenge."

"Oh, she will not have to," Hisa replied. "The challenge is already established. The winner of the fight will officially be named your mate."

Shock played freely across his face, and stayed. "How established is this custom?"

"It is a part of your tradition," she informed, completely at ease with this fact. "Simply a little out of practice. Your mother may not know of it yet."

"She doesn't need to," the _miko_ practically whimpered past her hands.

"If I do not inform her, I know someone who is bound to," Hisa stated.

Sesshōmaru growled angrily, surprising the _miko_. "If the old fool even dares to, I will ban him from this entire island."

"Oh, you do not have the power to," Hisa commented offhandedly. "Would you prefer that _I_ tell her then? I do not have the same impact on the female as he does."

"Who are you talking about?" the _miko _asked.

Sesshōmaru sighed through his nose. "Sheng." The girl seemed curious, but she would meet him soon enough, there was no need to go into detail.

"A delightful old _inuyōkai_," Hisa commented with opposite intentions.

"He is a lazy drunkard when his services are not needed," Sesshōmaru filled in.

"And this fact makes him all the more charming, as opposed to the classic uptight ingrate that all _inuyōkai_ are capable of being."

"Oh, he sounds nice," the _miko_ commented brightly, happily. "I should like to meet him."

Sesshōmaru's day was not getting any better.

"I will introduce you personally, if he does not find you first," Hisa assured. "Sheng has a soft spot for humans. I would not be surprised if you woke up one morning completely out of bed and being hugged in greeting."

Ready to rip something in half, Sesshōmaru went ahead and sent his _yōki_ in the form of a whip after Hisa. She turned into a giggling fit of flames, and scattered, only partially returning to the brazier; at least according to what he could see. _Yōsoyōkai_ were dreadfully difficult to kill.

A flare of _ki_ lashed at him, making contact, and he bared his teeth at the _miko_ with a snarl. It did not affect her much.

"Quit being such an ass," she snipped, reigning in her energy. "At least we are warned. So, seeing as you are so good at thinking with the hair on your chest, what do you propose we do now?"

"This was your recommendation. _You_ think of a way out of it."

Her mouth flapped at him as he exited the room, her footsteps soon pursuing quickly. Despise rippled just under his skin as the lamps lining the hall lit, following them, one by one.

"I am_ not_ that knowledgeable of your culture," the _miko_ whined, looking to the fires as she walked quickly at his side. "Hisa?"

"Do not ask _me_," the _hiyōkai_ stated, her voice echoing down the hall. "I am certain that Sheng will be more than happy to assist though."

Sesshōmaru seethed, and at a thought regarded the _miko_. "You can sense her?"

"You cannot?" she snipped, for some odd reason exceedingly aggravated with him.

Hisa followed them through the corridor, lighting lanterns and braziers along the way. The _miko_ walked with him, holding his arm affectionately for show ever since he closed the door to the chambers below. As angry as he was, as much as he knew that she was following orders, her contact still eased his nerves. His shoulders loosened, and his anger had cooled down to a slight agitation when they arrived at his chambers, the servant who had fallen in behind them opening the _shōji_ for them and remaining outside.

"The two of you are an adorable couple," Hisa commented. The _miko_ flinched on his arm, and lifted her head off of it, but did not immediately release him. "Perhaps you _should_ become mates."

"Leave," he ordered. The flame ahead of them flickered in annoyance, then guttered out, as though grumbling.

The _miko_ sighed through her nose, and slipped away from him. He grabbed her around the waist, and continued walking. Only one small and brief noise of protest hinted at her thoughts, and she leaned into his side, smelling sad for some reason.

"Huh?" she asked when he inquired over her scent. "Oh. I am just thinking."

"About?"

"Something Hisa had asked me," she muttered hesitantly.

"What was her question?"

She shifted in his hold. "I would rather not talk about it."

"Why?"

"It is... personal."

"Tell me," he ordered. "Hisa is a prankster, and will fill your head with improper ideas if you are not careful."

"They're improper alright," the girl muttered under her breath.

"I am _not_ a prankster," an offended lamp yipped.

"Is there _nowhere _she will not follow?" the _miko _asked incredulously.

"Not until I ward my quarters," he replied, not at all pleased with the invasion of his privacy.

Muttering to herself, the _miko_ stormed over to the lamp.

"... Nooooo," Hisa warned helplessly as the girl lifted her hand to the lamp. "You _ungrateful_ pupil, do _not_ use these lessons against m-"

A small barrier of sorts appeared around the lamp, and the flame flickered out, a blessed silence filling the room. The _miko_ did not seem to notice an instantaneous reaction to her barriers. The floor shuddered ever so gently, and his ears barely heard what sounded like a small suppressed explosion. It made him smile. Hisa was _not_ happy.

"Damn nosy _yōkai_ out to ruin my life," the _miko_ cursed darkly, walking around and doing the same thing to all of the braziers and lamps in his quarters. Curious, he studied her work on the first lamp. He had never seen a barrier created by one of her kind without either them inside of it or a piece of paper with writing maintaining it. If anything, this nature of barrier was like a _yokai_'s, but... very, very small.

The _shōji_ slid open, and she took her muttering self into the next room, setting up more small privacy assuring defenses which would most likely result in his chambers being burnt to the ground come morning. He wondered how many she could make at once. It did not seem to require much energy on her part. _"Another curiosity about her."_ It made him smirk. Pitching his voice to compensate for her poor senses he called her by her profession.

"I _have_ a _name_!" Her irritation was palpable.

Deciding not to yell, he sped into the next room she was in. It was an expanse of hard wood flooring, empty of furnishing, and she stared around it with mild curiosity.

"Is this a _dojo_?"

"It can serve as one," he replied. "You changed the subject."

"Hm?"

"What did she ask you?"

That faint blush came back, and she made her way to the third room, which was basically the same as the first one but with _tatami_flooring and little else. He was not the sort to gather belongings or decorations.

"I thought I had to defend our relationship in front of her," the _miko_ defended herself immediately, heightening his suspicions as she walked to various lighting features. "I do not remember exactly what she asked, but it went along the lines of how I feel about you. Then she needled me with specific questions over whether I wished to help you, if I would protect you, if I wanted to be by your side, if I... loved you."

She gave the barest hesitation on that. "And what did you say?"

"What else would I say?" she asked, snapping at him, her personality thorny and defensive. It made him grin, laughing under his breath as she continued setting barriers. "I defended our relationship. Our stupidly fake relationship."

"Does that imply that it is so insincere that it is ridiculous," he questioned, "or that it is ridiculous to keep it fake?"

Her head snapped to him, eyes wide, mouth moving silently. "Keh," she settled on. "The first one, you idiot. Like I'd even allow myself to fall for someone as arrogant as you."

Very defensive. "They say that love is something not even the _kami_ can control."

She snorted, definitely in no mood to banter. "Like you even know what love is." She glanced around, then finally exited the room through the only_ shōji _available, entering the _engawa_ encircling the private garden in the heart of his quarters and walking for the bedroom.

He closed the _shōji _behind himself while following her, glancing over the lighting of late afternoon. "Why do you presume such a thing?"

"Damn it," she grumbled, apparently failing with a barrier before immediately getting it. She had faltered over his question. "Well, look at yourself. You have wom- _females_, throwing themselves at your feet, begging for sex, and you are left to accept that as love. You were raised to think of it as love. It is disgusting, the _kami _should have possessed every inch of this blasted _o-shiro _just to purify the ill intent."

"Hn." He would pursue this conversation again at a better time. "Do you admire the _kami_?"

The _miko_ faltered, his tactic working well. She checked her emotions, and her voice became smaller, quieter. "Of course," she replied, setting up the last required barrier. "But I do feel sorry for them."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because they have no one but worshipers," she stated, sounding sad. "The _kami_ are the loneliest beings in existence." She looked around the room, and began acting as though she had no idea what to do with herself now. She crossed her arms, defensive again. "You should know the feeling, oh one of great _kami _worthy beauty."

She was aiming for an argument. He was not going to give it to her. "So you do remember early this morning."

A sigh dragged out of her, disappointment crossing her face. "Yeah. I remember getting out of bed with a throbbing head, coming out to chat with you, then waking up with no one there."

"You fell asleep in the middle of a perfectly good conversation," he commented, watching as her face darkened promisingly. He slashed away her small hopes for venting. "You were tired, recovering from healing and abusing alcohol. I understand that."

Her defenses weakened slightly. "You have gotten drunk before?"

"Of course not," he answered, laying on his _futon_, enjoying the mixed scent wafting out of the bedding. "Sheng has arrived to quite a few meetings looking haggard though. It seems an unpleasant process."

"I assure you it is," she replied, sitting on the edge of the bedding on the other side from him.

"How did you recover in time to see Hisa?"

"Chiro brought me medicine."

"And you took it."

"Well, yes, of course."

"And you ate."

"Afterward..."

"And you remember the conversation we had this morning."

A distant look crossed her face briefly, her mind dipping into memory. Soon her expression soured. "You were not available, and I was hungry." Getting up – to his slight dismay – she left for the entry room. "And I am hungry again." She made it to the door, then paused, regarding him. "Are you coming?"

"Do you require monitoring while you eat?" He already tested it. The food was safe, and there was no smell of a newcomer or traces of _yōki_ from scent burning.

"No, I just-" Her face took on a very stubborn look, the early colors of sunset playing warmly across her face and the room. It was very unfitting for her mood. "Fine."

For the first time since he was a pup, Sesshōmaru heard a _shōji_ slam shut. It reminded him of the stupidity of youth, and he sighed, settling onto the _futon_. She would get over it. The less he argued with her, the less she would seek arguments from him. Then again, that was putting a considerable amount of trust in her maturity...

He should not be so patient with her. Two weeks ago he would have sent her flying across a room as opposed to allowing her the chance to raise her voice at him.

_"No,"_ he corrected himself. _"Closer to ten days ago. Or was it just five? Or three?"_

Mildly concerned, he slid his eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Why was the time so indeterminable? Worse yet, what signified the change? What _had _changed? Anything?

Absolutely confounded, he scoured his mind for details. There were many. _The lover's mark in her ear, hunting for her, laying with her, a sweet kiss before leaving for the o-shiro, losing himself with her_- A distinct pattern was developing, clouding his mood and thoughts. _Dressing her, taking pride in her stand against Meiling, hearing the servant elder's comments, seeing the miko's wonderfully exposed chest while she slept..._ He tried to stop, but his mind kept on going. _The unsettling feeling he got after giving in to Meiling, lamenting the miko's covered scent from the oils of her bath, the attention he sought from her, the face she made upon realizing Myōga's hammer misfortune, her encounter with the servant's pup..._ He covered his face wearily with a clawed hand_. Licking her fingers clean, marking her body, kissing her without a single witness, being impressed by her powers, enjoying her willingness to have an attitude with him, their mingled scents in the bed..._

A weight settled on his chest. Whatever the new detail was, it was a reoccurring one, and happening right then, right there. Was it all inside his head? Was it anything at all?

Eating, the _miko_ looked up at him when he appeared at her side, a wedge of melon at her mouth as she stared wide eyed, absolutely still, juice sliding down one arm as her _kimono _sleeves remained pulled up and pinned between her arms and body. The food disappeared, flying across the table, and she quickly began licking her fingers.

"This is not fair!" she wailed, struggling as he lifted her to her feet, her wrists firmly in hand. "That is my favorite fruit, you cannot expect me to-"

She jabbered far too ceaselessly at the worse possible times. Ignoring her speech, he pressed his mouth to hers, tasting the melon on her soft lips. Initially, she was unresponsive, so he released her wrists. She did not try to move away, and allowed him to slide his hands around her, pulling her small and delicate frame slowly closer, against him. At that level of intimacy she sighed, melting into him slightly, and her mouth moved against his, accepting his attentions, encouraging them.

That was when he felt it. A warmth, nestled somewhere in his chest, stirring awake at her contact. It was inside of him, living, making him feel alive and viable, and in a way... mortal. Horribly aware of himself, aware of her, and incapable of changing anything. Helpless. So unforgivably, miserably, mortally helpless. Her scent surrounded him, invaded him. Her heat permeated his clothing. Her touch sent trails of fire across his body. Was this normal? He had never experienced such a thing with Meiling, and he missed it during his appointed time in hell with the female. He craved it and felt cheated – wretchedly deprived – when his clothes were hastily shed by passionless clawed hands, when his neck was bitten with sharp canines, when silver hair spilled onto his naked abdomen. Something was missing from his life. Something that was there with him, and yet utterly unattainable.

The void in his chest felt hollow with longing, urging him to deepen the kiss, begging him to woo her to his bed, sending encouraging memories flickering through his mind. Memories of how she felt, how she moaned, how she smelled while falling to passion, the way her arms slid around him, how her leg rubbed against his hip, the feel of her pelvis rubbing up against him.

This was dangerous. He was losing something, losing a part of himself despite centuries of building his defenses, desperately trying to prevent such a thing from ever happening. And yet there it was, slipping away, and the small hollow it left behind in his core – a small hollow, filled with the sensation of being near the small _miko_ in his arms – somehow felt worth the sacrifice; worth keeping, worth cherishing, worth viciously protecting. What terrible sentence had he condemned himself to?

The _miko_ pulled away, panting, her lips puffy from their exchange, her cheeks flushed pleasantly, her eyes warm as she gripped his upper arms, holding herself away. "I..." She swallowed, and glanced downward, offered a dry little laugh. "I think I am getting better at this."

A pang of loss echoed in his chest. Sesshōmaru wished to pull her back in, to share more moments with her, to fill that void in him until it ruptured. He also wished to flee her tempting presence. She patted the side of his arm, sighed with an uncertain giggle, and sat at the table again, popping a different type of fruit – a berry – into her mouth, and chewed it thoughtfully.

"You are hell-bent," she commented, seeming happy. "To think that you would still kiss me for my slip-up after all this time."

… What? His slightly dislocated mind popped into place, jarring him fully into reality. She was referring to her verbal error in Hisa's room. An urge swelled, and he wanted to tell her that it was not for discipline, wanted to tell her many, many things, and to _do_sinful things. The rest of him closed his emotions away from his mind. They were dangerous, irrational, illogical.

And yet, when she smiled up at him, another berry poised to be eaten, he felt the corners of his mouth lift in response, the wall completely gone as though it had never been. What was wrong with him?

"You know," she commented, pondering him standing so few feet away, "you do not seem like a _kami_ right now." Unsettled, he frowned lightly, and she giggled at him. "You seem happy. Not so lonely." Nodding, she looked away, and popped the berry into her mouth. "It is nice to see."

He needed time to think. Automatically, he walked away and to his bedchambers. As he stared at the _futon_, he considered going instead to the scholar chambers, and dark judging questions kept his feet planted. Would that be running away from her? Would leaving appease him more than remaining? Could he trust himself around her with these kicked up instincts? Sesshōmaru had always prided himself as being an excellent judge of character – which basically meant that everyone and everything was below him and he acknowledged that status quite easily and openly – but of late, in regards to this particular little effeminate issue, in regards to _himself_, he was beginning to doubt even in this preset perception he had.

Reading would be a good distraction, in a room that not many could come and torment him in.

Without regret, he settled onto his _futon_ once more, thinking, debating. Was he simply allowing the comments of others to get to him? Or was he really fine with someone living with him is his personal territory? Was he content with how comfortable he felt around her? Why was he no longer mad at her?

"You look like you are working on a complicated puzzle."

He glanced at the entrance to his rooms. The _miko_ stood in the open door, offering a small, almost knowing smile. Her eyebrows perked momentarily and she shifted, as though remembering why she was bothering him. "Would you mind undoing the _honobi_ for me? I can get the rest myself."

He sat up and gestured for her to approach, and she did, maintaining the proper pace and angle of her feet even now. Kneeling with her back to him, she gathered her hair over one shoulder to keep his working space free. The personal servant of hers had made an elaborate and appealing knot for the _otaiko _on the _miko_'s back. As he pulled things loose he caught himself glancing at her neck. It would not have fazed him, but after looking away the first time he soon looked again. Then at her ear, at the twist of her hair, at her hand petting that hair- He focused on undoing the _honobi_ again, chastising himself, refusing to look at her.

The _honobi _loosened, and he unwrapped it from around her generous waist, his continued efforts interrupting her initial attempt to stand. As it loosened her _kimono _did as well. The _miko_ stole a glance at him as he continued, and undid the _datejime_ originally hidden under the _honobi_, allowing the _ohashiro_ fold holding the excess length of the _kimono _to fully loosen. She shifted when he slid his hands around her waist, under the fold, and undid the _makura-obi_ sash holding it in place. As he pulled it from the depths of the fabric, the _kimono_ unfolded down over her legs, falling open. He could have slid the rich fabric off of her narrow shoulders. Could have continued undressing her, kissing her neck and sensually trailing his hands while shedding her layers. He could have rolled her naked into his bed and thrown the entire night away.

Remembering himself, displeased with himself, he picked up discarded pieces of her outfit from the bed, giving her the chance to stand. Glancing at the opening of the _kimono_ as she leaned over the bed and gathered things as well, he found the sight of her wearing an unfinished outfit to be very pleasing. He handed the items to her as she smiled, thanking him. And then she walked across the room, extending her stride a bit as the _kimono_ dragged freely across the floor behind her. She set things aside for the servants, slid off the outer layer, folded it improperly, and rummaged for a new outfit for the night, opening various drawers and once getting onto tiptoe to peer inside of one, closing it with disappointment. In the seventh drawer she found what she was looking for, and grabbed up the garments before leaving the room for the main entryway.

Since he could no longer watch her – rudely closing the _shōji_ behind her and blocking his view – he settled for the third time that night and thoughtfully pondered over his slowly waning sanity. She was not a _yōkai_ female, and definitely not _inu_ by nature, so why was he so physically drawn to her? Even _inuyōkai_ females did not inspire that feeling in him. In fact, he was certain that the only time they could was when they entered their heat. The _miko_'s body was not designed to throw off such messages to him, so what was he receiving? What was causing him to think and behave in this manner? He really should have just experimented again, and followed through with divesting her.

But... He sighed. It would be a silly thing to do, really. It would not only violate the professional relationship they had, but also violate her solitary condition in their agreement, keeping her virginity intact. It was such a tempting little thing to violate though, forbidden on _so_ many levels.

He was idly wondering over Hisa's revelation – Would the females wind up fighting over him? Did the _miko_ risk death in these events? – when the girl came back in, the _kimono_ under layers and sashes looped over one arm as she slid shut the _shōji_. She had chosen a _nemaki_, the attire wrapping around her like a _kimono_ but the sleeves bearing no hanging _tamoto _portions. Unlike a typical _yukata_, the _nemaki_ had a lining in it for extra warmth, and as she most likely appreciated, added coverage.

As she set the used clothing aside, she began to take off her _tabi_.

"The drawer you took the _nemaki_ out of..." he began, watching as she looked back at him curiously. "Take out the garment from the drawer below it."

With only one _tabi_ untied and discarded, she resumed her rummaging, initially opening the wrong drawer. Upon opening the correct one, a confused look crossed her face as she reached in and withdrew what appeared to be a heavily padded _kimono_. When it hung unfolded from her grasp though, she directed a smile to him and threw it over her shoulders.

"A _kaimaki_." Happily, she hugged herself, the thick padded sleeves pulling slightly away from her arms as she compressed the bulky garment around herself.

"Wear that in the future, as opposed to my bedding.

She laughed, and clumsily took off her remaining _tabi_ then hurried over, crawling down onto the _futon_.

"Thanks for telling me about it." A quick chaste kiss on the cheek was his unexpected reward, and she pulled away, laying down and nuzzling into the fabric, humming with delight. "I have always wanted to wear one of these. They are like blankets designed as a _kimono_. Whoever invented them was a genius."

"You are going to sleep?"

Her head turned, looking at him past the padded _eri_, the colors of sunset vibrant. "Well... yeah. I am tired after Hisa's training, and those barriers will not allow the lanterns to be lit, so when night comes I will be blind."

"There is no need to defend yourself," he stated. "But if you wish to sleep with the _kaimaki_, you will be more comfortable wearing it over you as a blanket. It is only worn as a garment while walking around.

As silly as it was, her spirits sank a little. "Oh... I guess that makes sense."

"You did not grow up with this clothing."

"No," she confirmed, wriggling out of the _kaimaki_. "Some people do, but the only traditional clothing I grew up with was for formal occasions, and seeing my grandfather dress up. We also have _yukata_ for bathing, but I prefer using a towel or a robe. They match the modern bathtub better."

"The clothes you came to this era wearing. Were they modern?"

"Oh, my school _seifuku_?"

He did not know what that was. "The impressively inappropriate outfit."

Her face fell a little, and she blushed faintly, still staring at him. "The skirt?"

"If by 'skirt', you refer to that scrap of fabric you wrapped your waist in, then yes."

"Hey, that was the school uniform," she defended a little meekly. "It was just convenient."

"It was exceedingly revealing." His nose wrinkled slightly. "Particularly while worn by an underdeveloped female."

After a moment, she threw a dirty little smile at him. "You liked it." He blinked. "Come on, a pretty young thing like me walking around and flashing my gorgeous little legs all over the place probably gave you some inappropriate thoughts."

She was teasing him, which left him to scoff lightly as a smirk tugged at his mouth. "Not once."

"Feh, so formal..."

"You are disappointed."

"... Am not."

"And now you are lying," he informed. An amateur like her should never unwittingly challenge a master such as himself.

She pursed her lips at him, caught. Finally working out of her _kaimaki_, she settled it over her, folding the front panels out. It merely looked like a personal sized blanket with odd angles sewn out of the sides when it settled. "Maybe a little. I wanted Inu-Yasha to notice me."

"Again, settling merely for easily achievable goals."

"For _your_ information, he-!" Her words died, hanging in the air, and she miserably huddled underneath the _kaimaki_, her hair the only part remaining visible to him. "You are a pain in the ass. I just want you to know this."

Briefly, he recalled this girl calling him her brother-in-law, shortly after reappearing in the village he had left Rin in. The title had been highly unwelcome, and still was. He had not failed to notice a lack of intimacy between the half-breed and the halfwit though.

"He denied you."

The _kaimaki_ shifted as she huddled in a little more. "Kind of."

An old sadness resonated faintly from her. Inu-Yasha was still young, but now his stupidity was clearer than ever before. The_miko_ had pursued him, and he was too ignorant to acknowledge her.

"Hn." The scent was displeasing. "Your standards are too low."

"They _were_," she acknowledged. "Now they are too high."

"Your standards can never be too high."

After a few quiet moments she shifted under her _kaimaki_, and the sleeve closest to him shifted, eventually lifting up so she could peer at him from her burrow through the tunnel of fabric. "You think so?

"You have a great deal of self-respect," he informed, regarding her though the tunnel, smirking over her antics. "Anyone who thinks so highly of themselves should aim for a _kami_."

She glared at him, and the sleeve dropped. "You are totally not funny."

"I do not need to be. The rest of the world is hysterically pathetic enough without my tampering with it."

She snorted from the safety of her makeshift den, still moody. "Well, given that framework, I suppose you are bound to be miserable for the remainder of your days.

"Hn." Smiling, he lifted the side of her _kaimaki_ and invaded her personal space, much to her wide-eyed and retreating dismay. The hunt was over as soon as it began, hardly deserving the title, and he grabbed her by the small of her back, stopping her withdraw from his presence. She made a small, involuntary squeak, grinning and trying to wriggle away still. She even pinched the top of the _kaimaki_ and pulled it down between them before he outmaneuvered her. "Would you care to support your claim about misery?"

"What?" she asked through a giggle, playing a game with him. He supposed that when he was her age he was still playing games as well.

"What does misery love?"

She blinked at him, the smile faint on her lips. "This is not a time for supporting proverbs."

"It is the prey that finds itself caught which screams the most."

"... Huh?"

He assaulted her neck, nibbling it lightly, and she squealed with surprised laughter, thrashing and trying to tear away, her legs and loose fists smacking futilely at his toned body. Grinning against her neck, he worked his hand along her side, tickling her, and her efforts flailed even more desperately, her uncontrolled shrill giggles rich in mirth as she pleaded, practically sobbed, for him to stop.

When her body began having difficulties in functioning he ceased, and withdrew from the overheated air under the _kaimaki_. It jostled lightly as the _miko_ continued giggling, slowly winding down. After a short time her fingers peeked out at the collar, curved, and drew the fabric down. She stared at him with crinkled eyes past the fabric.

"Why, Sesshōmaru, I never would have thought of you as being capable of playing," she teased, again unwittingly entering unfamiliar territory.

"Hn. One is not ticklish unless they wish to be."

"That is true," she unexpectedly admitted, getting one arm out and hugging the fabric over her as she turned onto her side, facing him, tucking her other arm under her head for a pillow. "And one does not tickle unless they wish to."

"Indulging you periodically will serve a purpose in the future."

Her brow folded in at him. "What?" Appearing horribly offended, she got up onto one hand, looking down at him. "You just- It-" She scoffed, turned away, and licked her lips with a stern expression. "Do you really have to think that much about things?"

"Where is the logic in not doing so?" he inquired.

"Hmm... I suppose you have a point."

Gathering up her _kaimaki_, she left the bed, and opened the _shōji_ to the _engawa_. He wished to ask where she was going, but refused to reveal the curiosity. The door slid shut behind her, and he listened as she entered the small _tatami_ room she had created barriers in before sealing away the sleeping chambers.

Time passed. The sun finished setting. Darkness slowly dawned fully in the sky. And a light flared to life in his room.

"Oh, _this_ is promising," chirped Hisa's quiet voice, the light growing as he glared at it. "I did not expect it to take this long for Kagome to drift off, but I fully expected to see her in here. What did you do, pup?"

What he did was got up and left for the scholar chambers.

* * *

><p>Kagome woke, feeling no better than if she had slept out in the garden. The small room felt cool, and lonely with how dark it still was, so she got up and went into the bedroom. He was nowhere to be found, which was to her bitter liking.<p>

_"That jerk, actually showing personality but only to manipulate me,"_ she thought sourly, continuing to the main chambers. The food was gone. Sliding open the door to the _rōka_, she spotted Chiro, and smiled. "I would love a bath."

Within ten minutes Kagome happily lowered herself into steaming water, relaxing and breathing in the herbal mist with a content sigh. It was still early morning, and her eyelids felt heavy as she slid them shut, skilled fingers working into her hair, her feet and hands tended to yet again. Last night had been terrible, she continuously woke up for no reason she could remember, over and over again. It felt as though she had been awake for days.

Despite that fact, she had a job to do, which was to drive Meiling away as well as the other females on the side. As annoying as Sesshōmaru's actions had been, she could understand him making plans for the future, though she could not fathom where the tickling came into play. Anyway, she still had not officially met two of the three females tailing after him, and she needed to get her butt into gear. Right after this relaxing bath, and a bite to eat, she was on it. Then she had to meet up with Hisa again...

Alarm shot through her, and she lifted her head, taking her chin out of the water it had slid sideways into. Bleary eyes revealed water disturbed only by her startling, and she blinked wearily. She had fallen asleep. The servants were gone – odd… – and the water was a little cool, but... she was not alone.

Sitting up in the bath, she looked around, and to her utter amazement found Sesshōmaru sitting on an attendant's stool, watching her.

"This," she began thickly, still weary, "is _so_ invasive, I have no idea how to start yelling at you."

He rolled a shoulder. "Then do not do so."

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Where are the servants?"

"They were dismissed," he informed. "I am here to mark you."

"What?" she asked, blinking, in a slight daze over the sudden situation. "Can we just cuddle?"

"No."

"Am... I still asleep?"

"No."

"Oh, because you are acting completely absurd," she stated. "You just tore me up two nights ago, and I still do not feel entirely comfortable in my healed skin. What do you aim to do _this_ time? And why in the middle of the day?"

"I would have initiated it last night," he stated, completely impassive. "You were bent on rest though."

"I was _bent_ out of _shape_ is what I was," she informed, groaning heatedly when he quirked a brow at her. "Whatever. Just- do it and get it over with. This water is too cold, anyway. And let it be known that your timing absolutely sucks."

"Hn. Out of the tub." She hesitated, bashful. "I have seen you naked already. Your human pride is far misplaced."

Glaring at him, she defiantly stood out of the water, not moving her eyes from his face as runnels flowed down to a steady drip from her figure. The liquid golden gaze did not leave her face, either. Then they impassively looked away all together.

Affronted, she gathered her hair, wrung it out back into the water she stood in, and stepped from the tub, walking across oddly warmed stones in the opposite direction of him, aiming for the thick spun cloth they used as towels. They were too small to wrap around her, but she managed to twist her hair into one, tucking the tail of the fabric under itself at the nape of her neck. Grabbing another, she began to dry off, and felt the distinct presence of silk against her back before clawed hands slid down her arms.

"The silk-" she began to warn as the water on her body absorbed into it. Then his fingers tickled under the swells of her chest, and her breath caught. He was not going to let her get tipsy this time. "I... I have to see Hisa at noon."

"You will after we are done here," he stated in her ear, sending a chill through her, making her recall the last kiss they shared. It had felt different than the others. Quite good, actually. Sesshōmaru was a good kisser, but she had fallen far too willingly to him during the last one.

"What are you doing?" she asked, his nose and warm breath tickling her neck, desire stirring in her. "Just get it over with." _"Just stop teasing me."_

"I am distracting you," he informed placidly. "Marking does not hurt when the body is braced for more."

She swallowed. Thickly. "You are _wooing_ me?"

"You may call it that," he stated, taking her ear lightly between his teeth, his fingers trailing down her sides. "I do not intend to lay with you. Consider this a favor."

Was she supposed to thank him for trailing his hands down her naked body in such a manner? Waves of heat followed his touch, sinking down into parts of her she rather not be aware of right then. She had not gotten smashed on _sake_ the first time simply because of the pain though. She wanted to separate her conscious from her emotions. She did not want to feel used, itemized, or uncared for. She had never been touched so intimately before, and her emotions wished to wrap themselves around him, to draw emotions out of him and validate her feelings. There would be no validation though. Nothing for her to base her reactions on, nothing to justify the slow burn he ignited in her sometimes. One way or another this was simply going to happen. He was going to physically distraught her, and she was going to feel like a tool for it. Just like she agreed to do in exchange for his centuries of monitoring Kaede's Village, assuring her ancestor's existence. Originally, she had considered letting things happen as they would in Kaede's Village. But the idea of doing so had bothered her. And when he had pressed her face to the ground, forcing her to submit to him, trying to break her will as efficiently as he could without hurting her physically, she had recalled the small uncertainty. It was as though fate had filled her with ideas when she stated the payment she required to permit being treated like this, being treated so badly that he even recommended several times that she name a price.

Claws dug slowly into her hips, and she bit down a gasp, wincing her eyes shut, screaming inside as they slowly tore her open like surgical knives, all eight of them. Tears stung in her clenched eyes, and her scream gathered in her throat, a huge knot of air gathered in the hollow of her neck. His discontinued attentions had any block in her broken down and thrown aside. When his nails left her skin she gasped loudly, face contorted in pain, and a small sob escaped her before she could cut off airflow again. She tried to think of her family, their smiling faces, the wonderful hugs her mother gave, the way she enjoyed tousling her baby brother's hair, her grandfather's wild stories-

Clawed hands trailed with promise down her thighs.

"I have to walk!" she gasped, grabbing his wrists, wishing she didn't sound so frail. "Please, not my legs. I will not be able to walk to Hisa. Please, not there."

Four teeth embedded into her neck, and the pain was so sudden that her knees buckled. He was right, having her body thrilled _did_help to some extent. He caught her, and she tried to focus on his strong arm, think of the way he once thrilled her with his body weight over her, when he first bit her. A lover's bite. A painful lover's bite. Her thoughts did not help much as he sank his teeth into her deeper, sending vibrant agony straight to her head, making her vision fade black with stars bursting toward the center of her hindered sight as her teeth locked.

A low rumble vibrated against her back, and her body shuddered in response. His teeth withdrew, and his tongue licked against the ragged cuts in her skin, against the rips in her spasm distraught muscles. His mouth trailed further up the side of her neck, and he bit her again, a few inches below her ear, his teeth hugging a large muscle in her neck, making her head turn against his as her shoulders tightened and as nails pricked around and into a soft mound of her chest. She sobbed, but tried desperately not to be too loud. There was nothing to enjoy about this. Nothing at all. Why did they do such a terrible thing to one another? Why did it matter if she was marked when females could heal it away and not leave a scratch?

Claws raked across her abdomen, and along the meat of her upper arm. She wondered how the servants would perceive these marks. It was a little humiliating, knowing full well that the message they gave off was her giving Sesshōmaru a quickie in the bathing room. A quickie taken completely from behind. She was so ashamed of this.

The torture ceased, and she realized she was leaned back against him, sobbing weakly as he continued to hold her securely to his torso. Her head was going to start bleeding from the ears it throbbed so badly.

"You need to stop crying," he stated.

"I can tell them it was a wonderful agony," she assured, throat jumping, breath shaky, failing in ignoring the constant messages of torment from her confused body. Trying to lift her head, she soon gave up, sparing her muscles. "Can I go to Hisa now?"

"I want you to calm yourself first."

She tried to nod and forsook the gesture, breathing steadily, her head still hurting, her injuries burning terribly. "I want to sit down."

It was amazing how his touch became softer, gentler. She muted a cry when he eased her up into his arms, the cuts on her hips stretching, and found a place to sit, resting her on his lap. She tried to pull away, not wanting her shoulder to stain his clothing, but he cupped his hand over her ear and pulled her against him, allowing her to rest her brow on the side of his neck, touching his ear and the strong curve of his jaw. Trails of fire coursed through her skin, summoning blood and over stimulating her mind with pain receptors, but being there was warm, secure, and calming, his fingers smoothing slowly through her hair. He was trying to comfort her, and it was working. Not for the physical pain, certainly, but for the pain in her heart. He sat there, allowing her to bleed on him, and sheltered her emotions, sacrificing his time for the sake of her well being, letting her know that he was there.

"I did very little compared to last time."

"I know," she muttered against his neck, calm, enjoying the feel of his jaw shift against her cheek as he spoke.

"You," he paused briefly, "did not react the same way."

"I am not surprised."

He exhaled heavily through is nose. "Did it hurt badly?"

She smiled slightly. "I am not sure of how I can relay it to you. Taking away the toddler stage, I have had less than twenty years to learn how to deal with pain, and it was not a very high priority." She sighed. He smelled good. Shifting tenderly, she felt cared for yet again when he loosened his hold for her to move, then held her close once more, a reassuring pressure keeping her in place, keeping her with him. "Maybe, if I did the same thing to you with my _ki_. If I had sharper nails and teeth, that is. I do not know. I saw sparks, though."

"Sparks?"

"M-hm. When something really, really hurts, you get something like tunnel vision, then these bright white sparks shoot across your eyes, like they are disappearing down that tunnel." Readjusting her head, she pressed in closer to him, just ever so slightly. "Well, you may not do that, but I do. Sometimes it can happen if I just stand up too quickly from a certain position. I do not know why it happens, but I hear it is the first stage to becoming unconscious."

"Hn."

Silence stretched. Time crawled. While being tucked against him like that was enjoyable, she still ached, and wanted Hisa's attention if the _hiyōkai_ was willing to give it. It was not until then that Kagome realized she had tread without caution onto thin ice by setting up barriers. Ice and fire did not mix well in her experience.

Clearing her throat, she pulled away from him, momentarily feeling resistance before he released her. "I am going to go see Hisa now." A little embarrassed to put words to it, she spoke her mind. "Thank you for comforting me."

"Hn," he answered, acting a little cold toward her. Waves of _yōki_ emanated from him, burning away at the scents left behind. "You required reassurance in order to maintain your image."

She smirked, wincing as she tilted her head, stretching the side of her neck he had attacked. "You may call it that." Painfully, she slid out of his lap and onto her feet, trying not to stress her body more than necessary. She would be mended soon – she did not figure Hisa the type to hold a grudge when it meant making another miserable – and at that point this whole predicament would be put behind them, out of mind.

Turning into a doorway, Kagome balked at seeing Sesshōmaru already browsing through the bathhouse dresser drawers she had been walking for. With half a thought she glanced back at where they had sat, confirming his relocation. _"Does the guy even create a breeze?"_

"Stand still. I will bring you something to wear."

"You do not-" _"have to..."_ she finished lamely in her head, tongue freezing when he fixed her with a cold look. Shifting where she stood, Kagome crossed her arms, impatient, testing the tears. The ones on her hips crossed healed white lines already there, making wide stacked x's on both sides. She looked like a heavy duty and meticulous cutter.

She was only distracting herself though. He was acting weird again. She got a sense of regret from him, even though he was not the type to familiarize himself with such an emotion. Then again, when he had lost himself in the clearing, the look on his face, the words that came out of his mouth… That was one of the times when she began to consider him as someone other than the cold prince of death, and again whenever he kissed her, and again when he smiled at her, and when he held her close, and when he slept near her, with her.

With a perfectly straight face he came over with a _yukata_, holding it open. She thanked him under her breath, slipping arms into it – minding the gashes on her shoulder – and folded it shut, watching as he reached around her with the sash, tying it in place. That warm feeling filled her again. "Sesshōmaru?"

"Yes?" he prompted, finishing.

"I-" she cut off with a small alarmed noise when he picked her up yet again. "What are you doing?"

"You wish to see Hisa."

"I can walk there."

"I do not wish for you to walk."

Blushing, she hid her face from him by pressing it close under his chin.

"You were saying?"

She shifted, an odd thing to do in someone's arms but he managed perfectly around her discomfort while walking to the exit. "I am falling victim to my emotions and apologize for my weakness. I just wanted to tell you that, in case you got confused, or offended."

She could almost hear the befuddlement in his voice when he came to a standstill. "Explain."

Fidgeting, mildly mortified, she forced herself to speak. "It is stupid, I acknowledge that, but I... I am starting to grow fond of you." She kicked herself, running forward. "It is making me more emotional and impulsive, and I am sorry for that. It is not professional, but when I do not monitor myself, normally when we are alone and I am comfortable, I... Well, I may act on those emotions. I_have_ acted on those emotions. They are ridiculously unfounded, so I apologize. I... should not have gotten mad at you last night. It was very immature of me. I will try and keep my emotions under control, but if I act out of line again, you know why. If you did not already..."

Seconds passed, and with every instant she grew more and more uncertain, nervous.

"Hn."

"Hn?" she repeated as he continued forward. "That is it?"

"Yes."

"Oh..."

He slid the door open with the toe of his boot. "You should not apologize for such a thing."

That was the last thing she expected out of his mouth. "What?"

"It is natural," he informed, still in the abandoned bathhouse hall, stopping yet again before entering the range of eavesdroppers. "I would rather have you aroused by me than hanging your head and feeling guilt. The latter is not befitting for a lover. Is that clear?"

She blinked, frowning incredulously. He was being... unreasonably reasonable. "Okay." He nodded, and leaned forward into motion. "Sesshōmaru?" He stopped again, and she about killed herself. "My emotions. They _are_ unfounded, correct?"

"No." Her heart danced nervously. "They are a result of our interactions. Do not expect them to be reciprocated." He paused. "I will lessen our physical contact in private."

The dancing stopped, and her heart sagged slightly. She had known the answer already though. Knew it firmly in her mind, understood the need for his last sentence, yet she felt... Nodding against him, she relayed her understanding, and he carried her out into the main corridors, allowing all to witness him cradling his injured lover protectively while taking her to be tended to. A part of her wished to curl up in a dark corner and cry for the remainder of the day. He left the bathing chambers, and even as the servants bowed and filed back inside no one noticed a flame flicker in dismay before winking out.

* * *

><p>The Lady of the Western lands had been enjoying her morning tea when the candle on her table lit. Calmly, she regarded it, offering a small smile. "It is a lovely morning, is it not, Hisa<em>-sama<em>?"

"That depends on your view," the _hiyōkai_ replied. "My apologies for not coming in person. I am expecting visitors."

"You do not use this method nearly enough." A light entered the _o-shiro_ alpha's golden eyes. "Do you have any gossip?"

"Plenty," the flame laughed. "I believe now is a good time to test your son and his consort."

"Did they finally have an argument?"

"More like a small revelation," Hisa admitted victoriously. "This means that I win our little bet. I fully expect my oven installed within the week."

The _inuyōkai_ 'tsk'ed in dismay when the flame flickered out. She should have known better than to wager against that female, despite it concerning her own, unpredictable son. Time was short though before Meiling would have rights to Sesshōmaru, so the Lady of the Western Lands sat, and sipped her tea, smirking both over her small revenge to Hisa and over her son's antics; it will be quite the sight to see how everything will come crashing down onto his foolishly arrogant little head.

* * *

><p>It disturbed Sesshōmaru how the <em>miko<em>'s words reflected some thoughts he had uncovered overnight. Several scrolls and thickly bound books had passed through his hands in his search for a distraction. They all were simply held for one indeterminable length of time or another, unread as his mind mulled over itself until sunrise. When the sun began climbing higher, his appointed time with Meiling approaching, he had decided to act upon his more forgivable urges, innately curious over them. The decision soon had him dismissing the bath servants, who handled the _miko_ far too gently even for her being human before silently bowing to him and exiting. It was not until they were gone and he assessed her lack of a response to him that he realized she had dozed off in the warm waters of the bath. Initially, he was going to rouse her, but the urge to do so was weak, and he settled in to the call of a different urge. That morning he had spent a healthy portion of his time in there sitting next to her, dipping his claws in the herbal liquid and playing with her hair, lifting silky black locks then watching them flow back into the water and slowly sink onto her shoulder. He also spent an _un_healthy portion of his time staring at her shoulder and her neck, wanting to do horribly wonderful things to her, seeking to mark her again, and so he did. The responses she gave to his attentions were strong, her want of him building up between her legs, her scent of arousal lingering after he dug into her hips, calling to him. He had been inches away from taking her, grabbing her into him and not letting go. But she had begged him not to, and then later bared her thoughts and forced him to reassess his own.

She considered her feelings a weakness, as giving in to a greater power – which was fine since _he_ was that greater power – but it troubled her greatly. The uncensored behavior he could comprehend, but the fact that he understood through experience was disconcerting. 'Falling victim to emotion'. It was almost enough to make him scoff – he was a victim of nothing – but still he wondered. If he was not a victim, then considering the facts, he was a willing participant, and he could not decide between the two options which was the worse. He would limit their contact from now on. There was a barrier within their arrangement and how far it could be tested, after all. And then, as they had all night, Hisa's words haunted him, asking what he was running from.

The _miko_ slid the arm draped over her abdomen up his chest, and held onto him, hanging slightly from his neck. In a whisper almost as quiet as sunlight she commented on the servants staring, and pressed her face to his neck sensually.

A great deal of him wanted to turn around, rush to his private quarters, and finish what he had started with her. The rest of him simply faltered slightly under the impact of that urge and continued forward, adjusting his hold so she did not have to strain in holding herself up against him.

And then worse came to worse. Quite literally, actually, as one of his admirers caught sight of them and came walking down the hall. The weakest female pining for his attentions, her hair a shade of gold and her eyes as green as the shallows of a tropic sea. He did not stop, and heard the _miko_ sigh faintly with dread against his neck, bringing on that urge again.

"How fortunate for me to find you," the female stated, falling in beside him. She peeked over at the _miko_ in his arms. "A shame you obliterate your scents like this. It only leaves the smell of her blood. It is quite... tempting."

The _miko_ shifted again in his arms, pulling her arm from his neck just enough to stroke his pulse with her thumb. "These females panting after you really have no proper manners, do they..."

"Hn."

"Sesshōmaru _Denka_ is welcome to make me pant whenever he likes," the female following them simpered happily.

"Do you hear that, love?" The _miko_'s inquiry puffed warm against his neck, thrilling his sensitive skin. "She believes that you have energy to spare for her when I am done with you." The female in his arms teased his neck with her lips. "Am I not pleasing you enough?" Dull little teeth gently bit into his skin, and he stopped dead still, willing his knees to lock to keep himself upright.

"If you do not cease your actions, _lover_," he warned heatedly, voice dropped to a pitch that had the green eyed female staring wide-eyed at him, "I will be forced to take you right here in the hall."

The _miko_ thought he was teasing. "Hmm... Maybe I _want_ to be taken in the hall." She nuzzled into him again, tormenting him, her hand reaching up to fondle his ear. The female in their midst, able to sense the state he was being worked into, stared in mild horror at the girl's actions, then at the expression on his face, which was apparently terrifyingly arousing, then looked down at his groin. Of course he was responding to the _miko_'s attentions, the _kami_ would have it no other way. While being in such a state was nothing that _yōkai_ in general found unfortunate or humiliating, as natural a bodily function as breathing or having a heartbeat, being unable to **do** anything about it was- "But if you do, love, make it against the wall. You really do not make love to me enough while we are upright."

Mental images shot through him, and he swallowed, thickly, dissipating none of his desire but feeling some of his dignity disappear for digestion. Snarling with warning at the female bearing witness to this, he continued onward, heading for Hisa. The _miko_ went as far as to express her mild disappointment, and told him that later tonight she expected compensation for him getting her hopes up, all of which the _inuyōkai_ behind them could hear.

The female in his arms was such a convincing little actress even _he_ was falling for it.

"Your claws are digging into me something fierce," the girl commented. "Do those females anger you that much, darling?"

A servant approaching them tripped over the pet name given to his lord before he could even properly bow in regards.

What was the _miko_ thinking? She really _did_ have the senses of a rock. He condemned her shortcomings, and **damned** her suddenly unveiled talent in exciting his body and instincts. Even his _yōki_ was stirring just under his skin, swirling far too quickly, making his body warm with want.

"You are awfully quiet, love. Is something troubling you?"

She had **no** idea. It was coming down to the point where he either had to veer into one of the _tatami_ rooms and have his way with her, whether she liked it or not, or drop her onto the floor and flee before his mind made _itself_ up.

"Be silent," he ordered, practically pleaded. "And keep your hands to yourself."

"You are no fun while in such a mood," she pouted, thankfully pulling her hands away from his exposed skin. "This is the least you deserve for what you did to me earlier, my naughty, vicious, passionate lov-"

Desperate, he covered her mouth with his, surprising her. Suppressing a groan, his lips moved with a mind of their own, feeling her slowly begin to respond. Startled by how quickly he was losing it he pulled back, dying for more, ready to take more and let watch anyone who wished to. She was risking the very life of his self-control, pushing it to the brink of extinction. He had never felt this need for her before, not to this degree. Then again, this was only the second time that she had actually touched him in an intimate manner as opposed to mildly affectionate, and the first time had been...

"Claws," she mumbled faintly, and he forced his grip to relax. Why did he ever agree such a stupid pact? If she was going to be his lover then damn her virginity, she was _not_ filling out the job quota to its fullest. "You sound quite angry."

"Silence," he bit out through the growl rumbling in his chest. Immediately he was filled with the desire to nuzzle her neck apologetically for losing his temper. What was he thinking, he had full rights to his damned temper!

As though to spite him she sighed with mild aggravation through her nose, but – the _kami _be thanked – did not open her luscious little mouth again. He should not be behaving this way. She lived in his home, she shared his rooms, she warmed his once highly neglected bed, but that did not mean he was bound to respond to her like this. His ego wanted to prove to himself that she was nothing to fret over. She could walk to Hisa herself. He had spared her legs, she was fully capable of doing it and not disrupting her personal comfort to greatly.

Sesshōmaru continued to carry her, protecting her in her ever so slightly weakened state, taking her directly to a place she may not fully know how to find, assuring that she would be mended soon. He was doing this, but for himself as well as for her. And it unnerved him that he required this reassurance.

The underground corridor was chilled, and the _miko_ in her thin _yukata _shied from the cold, turning slightly closer to him. He hardly registered her shelter seeking when Hisa opened the door to her rooms, giving him a firm look that soon opened up and widened with mild surprise, and she _smiled_.

She sensed it.

He panicked.

* * *

><p>"Ow!" Kagome yelped when she landed heavily on the stone floor, jarring her body hard enough to make her teeth clack, stressing her injuries. "What the hell, Se- Sesshōmaru?"<p>

"He is gone," Hisa informed nonchalantly.

"So quickly?"

"_Inuyōkai_ are amazing in battle," Hisa stated, smiling as Kagome picked herself ruefully and carefully off the floor, "and when facing a foe they know they can not overcome they have amazingly swift feet."

"Did you threaten him?" Kagome asked, mildly worried. She could not imagine Sesshōmaru fleeing from anything.

"No," the _hiyōkai_ replied, grinning maliciously. "That does not mean he did not leave terrified. Come. By the time I finish healing his work we will be horribly late for your lesson. In the meantime, my dear, I wish to hear _all_ about your morning."

* * *

><p>"It is good to see you arriving <em>early<em> to our session," Meiling commented, taking in his appearance as the _shōji_ to her bedchambers slid shut behind him, the servant fleeing for good reason. Unimpressed, or believing he was insincere, she slid from her _futon_ and approached him. "Oh, this is promising," the female simpered, fingering the _miko_'s blood stain and smoothing her hand to his abdomen, sliding it down further.

Without preamble he began to tear the female's clothing away, shredding it onto the floor, growling viciously with his demands. She laughed and found it thrilling. Then her eyes landed on his bared teeth.

"Sesshōmaru?" Meiling's voice trembled, alarmed, and once he simply slit open the fabric, slicing her skin in the process, he threw her, still wrapped in her rags, onto her _futon_, where she landed reeking of both arousal and fear, holding her knees tightly together as the torn silks slid down her unmarked skin.

"You seek to mate me," he seethed, infuriated with everything in his life, undoing his own clothing in her stead for the first time in years. Soon he was pinning her by her throat to the bedding beneath them, ignoring his instincts telling him this was not the correct female. The whites of her eyes showed with her fright. "Here is my fair warning to you of future experiences if you succeed."

It was obvious that she tried very hard not to scream during the entirety of their love-devoid 'session'.

* * *

><p>A dull and resonating weariness was seeping into Kagome's very bones as she tried to do the impossible. As it had done several times over the last few hours, the leaf suffering her hatred and glares shifted, spinning slightly, and she lost focus, gasping breathlessly.<p>

"Again."

"This is impossible!" Kagome yelled, drained and weary and raw on the nerves. "For the last time, I am _not_ a _yōkai_, I can not pick things up simply because they are in front of me."

"The leaf has moved. You are showing remarkable progress."

"It was trying to run away from me," Kagome assured, her mood still stunted over having been dropped. Speaking of... "Is our lesson at an end yet?"

Hisa sighed with great disappointment. "You are amazingly unenthusiastic."

"Well, I first got this migraine ten minutes into the lesson," Kagome stated, regarding Hisa's confused expression. "Ten minutes, as in half of the length of time it took to heal me."

The female nodded. "Very well. If you tire of this lesson, we can focus on attempting to channel your energy into your muscles to increase your strength, or we may-"

A delicate knock interrupted them, and Hisa frowned where she sat on the cushion as Kagome got up and answered the door. She swallowed any greeting that came to mind immediately.

"To think that you prefer such drab accommodations," commented Sesshōmaru's mother, looking around the place. "This room is hardly worthy of the oven you desire."

"The remainder of the rooms are not build to handle my flames," Hisa replied. "What brings you here, _Heika_?"

"I came to discuss matters with the _miko_. She will be leaving with me now."

Kagome worriedly regarded Hisa, who thinned her lips slightly but nodded in acceptance regardless. "Return here when you are finished, Kagome. I will not be cheated out of your training time, and we still have yet to catch up on the time it took to heal you."

"Come along," bid Sesshōmaru's mother, and Kagome looked quickly between the two females before stepping out into the hall with a great deal of hesitation, following behind the alpha as she walked down the hall. "We shall begin the discussion immediately. Come alongside me."

Surprised, Kagome complied, matching the taller alpha female's casual pace. It seemed that everyone in that place was taller than her.

"Is my son treating you well?"

"Very well," Kagome replied, a mix of emotions.

"You smell confused. Has something happened?"

"Nothing worth mentioning." This did not bode well.

"Hm," the female hummed in mild disappointment. "I see that Hisa has taken you in as a pupil."

An expectant silence pulled at Kagome to answer. "Yes, she has, and quite generously."

"The poor dear must be terribly bored," commented the _inugami daiyōkai_ as she glided down the stone halls. She stopped at the foot of the stone stairs leading to the door and the rest of the _o-shiro_. "Tell me, _miko_, what do you feel for Sesshōmaru?"

Inside her head, she sighed helplessly, hopelessly. "I love him."

"Why?" his mother inquired, not leaning toward any particular emotion, completely impassive. "What do you love about him?"

"Everything." What a painfully embarrassing subject to drag her mind through.

"His strength?"

"Of course," Kagome replied. "All of his obvious qualities I enjoy, but the ones he tries to hide are the ones I most adore." Absolutely embarrassing.

His mother seemed intrigued, and frowned slightly. "Enlighten me."

Despite herself, Kagome smiled, and thought over everything Rin loved to say about her _inuyōkai_. "He is kind and merciful when necessary, and never fails to provide safety to those he cherishes." That was not all though. That was barely any of it. So she drew on her own perceptions of him. "He tries to hide it, but he is passionate, and I know that he loves deeply." That was stretching it a little, but she had to. "He is wickedly stubborn, and will go through hell to get what he wants."

"Oh, he has already," his mother assured dispassionately.

"That does not surprise me," Kagome continued, her smile broadening. "He is so stubborn though that sometimes I worry for him."

"He can take care of himself."

"I know. I worry though if he can handle himself."

"Where is the difference?"

A genuine hint of interest entered her tone, and Kagome blushed. "He is focused on being the best there is, and on surpassing all expectations. No one... has expected him to care about the way he feels though. He does not trust himself, does not see passion as a source of strength as opposed to being a sign of weakness, and I fear that one day his logic will lead him astray."

"Hm. Such human concerns."

"And why should they be set aside for being human?" Kagome demanded, keeping her voice level. "What is so terrible about being human?"

"They are frail, disorganized, war-loving apes without fur, and smell terribly," the female offered off the top of her head. "Their short lifespan is deplorable, and overall the entire race hold no importance to _yōkai_, but we monitor their politics for a hobby."

Kagome deterred a little at her honesty, and found that there was not much room for argument. "Humans are very passionate though, and despite the length of our lives we make the best of them."

"Humans endure due to their reliance on and mimicry of _yōkai_. There is nothing to admire about them." She slanted a cold look at Kagome. "What can you possibly offer him?"

Kagome balked a little. "Something he is seeking from me, and cannot find here."

The female studied her a moment, then dismissed her, leaving behind a confused and depressed _miko_.

* * *

><p>"You made love like a male in heat-lust," Meiling stated, sounding numb as her fingers trailed the red skin of her overly mended neck. "Is this the side of you the <em>miko<em> gets to see? Or did she deny your attentions?"

"That is none of your concern," he stated bitterly, tying his _hakama_ around his narrow waist. The physical needs were sated, but he was still not content, and had the sneaky suspicion that the next time he saw the _miko_ he would be plagued by his desires all over again. He could not run from her and maintain their farce, and he could not banish her for the same reason. He needed her to stay by him, but he did not _want_ to need her at his side. Every option left to him was imperfect, offering no true escape. As a small mercy though, the _miko_ supplied him with the perfect mood for driving Meiling away, and her blood on his clothing kept him in that mood.

Resigning himself, he walked for his rooms. Whatever would happen, it would happen in an environment under his control, and without outsiders to bear witness to the events, making them malleable for him to one degree or another. When he left Meiling's rooms though, he found the first barrier he had to break through walking merrily his way.

"Good afternoon, Sesshōmaru," his mother greeted brightly. "You smell angry. Did something happen?"

"Nothing worth mentioning."

"Hm," she hummed with disappointed irritation. "It seems that nothing is worth talking about these days."

"Perfect." He made to walk around her, and she willed the hem of her pelt out in front of him, dragging the ridiculous cape she kept attached to her fur into his way.

"I will not keep you from her for long, but tell me," sharp golden eyes measured him, "what do you feel for the _miko_."

He glared down at her, and was fortunately too fixated in his bad mood to worry about a lie. "She is my lover."

"That is not a proper answer."

He sighed through is nose. "It is yours to accept or to decline. Either way, this conversation is over."

"Sesshōmaru!" She barked at him, stopping him in his tracks. That female never lost control. Her doing so now was enough to not only make him stop, but also to turn around and stare at her. A moment was needed to compose herself again before continuing. "Then just answer me a very simple question."

Suspicious, he nodded. He could grant her a simple answer.

"Look me straight in the eyes when you answer," his mother ordered, calm and serene once more. "Would you protect her with your life?"

The question had an unexpected weight in it, one that he would have to ponder. "Yes."

Something seemed to soften in her face, but he could not tell what. "Are you certain?"

He answered her once as she desired, and began to walk away, not looking back. "Absolutely."

* * *

><p>Kagome wondered how <em>yōkai<em> children managed to learn anything from such strict authoritative figures, and almost wanted to walk with her hand on the wall for support. Yesterday she had been thoroughly worn out, but had energy to spare. Today she was ready to just melt into anything that would support her weight. She was not mentally exhausted – at least according to her ricocheting thoughts – but her body wanted to just collapse and lay still for a few hours. It did not help that she was healed, either, which sapped at her energy like there was no tomorrow.

As though karma had something special planned for her in compensation for this day, it went ahead and sent Meiling into the hall ahead of her, walking straight as an arrow to intercept.

"_Miko_," she addressed, seeming peeved.

"Is it tea time already?" she asked sweetly, certainly not feeling sweet.

"Exactly what do you hope to accomplish by putting Sesshōmaru in such a foul mood?"

_"Foul mood?"_ She mulled, pondering the woman's reddened neck. "I did no such thing. If he was in one, he got himself into it."

"There is no mistaking when a female is responsible for a male's behavior. I will not tolerate your lack of sexual drive it at the cost of my health and enjoyment of him, so do not refuse his attentions."

Kagome opened her mouth to deny having anything to do with his mood again, but something else came out. "Your _enjoyment_ of him?"

"Of course," Meiling stated. "Did you think you had him all to yourself? I am his _intended_, and as such I have a _claim_ on him. He will get me into heat, toss you aside, and he will mate me, just as he is supposed to."

This conversation was taking an odd turn. "Get you into heat?"

"With sex, you simpleton," the female bit out. "Why _else_ would he be gone for-" An interesting look crossed her face then, and she reigned in her emotions, calm to the core. "He has not told you."

No, he had not.

"He does not trust you," Meiling surmised, wearing satisfaction like a second skin. "You _did_ think that you had him to yourself. How unfortunate for you. Tell me, _miko_, does it offend you to know that I have lain with him every day since you got here?"

Every _day_? Kagome was more mortified than anything, mortified for _him_, but oddly enough she _was_ greatly offended. Not by his secrets – though they certainly did contribute – but by the fact that he was actually accepting such treatment, and from _this_.

"It does," the female affirmed. "How precious. Did you think that your fragile human frame could fully satisfy him? He is an_inuyōkai_, and it takes a fellow _inuyōkai_ to draw true pleasure from him. You think you have any claim on him?" She laughed richly.

"I do."

Meiling spared her a humored glance.

"He brought me here as his lover," Kagome bit out. "He has offered me for acknowledgment to his mother as a valid female, as someone to replace you with." Her anger was really digging her in deep, but she was on a roll. "By _inuyōkai_ customs, I challenge you for the right of the title of alpha mate, and claim him as _my _intended."

Very slowly, the smile slid right off of Meiling's face. "You lie."

"I am dead serious," Kagome seethed, glaring up at the female before her. "If you wish to confirm it, go whine to his mother, but we are done here. The next time I see your smug little face, it had better be set for battle. If you wish to see Sesshōmaru again, you will do well to ask me for permission."

And with that she left, her energy sparking just under her skin. Oooh, she was _mad_! As she walked though her weariness eased back in, and her emotions settled, leaving her oddly calm. She just did not have the energy to maintain her anger.

The _rōka_ was a long, mocking barrier between her and relaxation. When she slid open the door though, her anger vanished in a wave of delight, seeing hot food ready and waiting on the table as well as a selection of vegetables, meats, and the ever-present fruit. Kagome sat, easing the new tightness of her skin, and ate enthusiastically, but did not fill her stomach. The food seemed to have no flavor.

Perfectly capable of just lying down and sleeping right there, she grunted and stood up, walking for the _futon_. Her mind certainly wasn't tired, but dear _kami_ it felt like she could sleep for a week.

Getting down onto the bed with a gleeful sigh – it really was a big, soft, lovely bed – she noticed that the door to the _engawa_ garden was open, and spotted Sesshōmaru sitting outside, watching time slip away. He had changed his clothing, wearing a simple yet elegant gray _kimono_ and a stiff black _obi_ belt.

"If you are pouting," she commented a bit loudly, wondering if he really was in a bad mood, "then stop it. You will ruin your good looks."

"Hn."

Content, she got onto her side, wondering what the future would hold for her. If anything, it was bound to be exciting, and so she smiled while closing her eyes. "By the way, I encountered Meiling in the hall. It seems that the two of you had an interesting conversation?" No response. "Well, either way, I cut things to the chase. From this day forth as far as everyone in the _o-shiro_ is concerned, I have verbally claimed you as my intended. There will be a nice little fight in the courtyard in the near future."

"You did _what_?"

Her eyes snapped open. He was knelt next to the bed, staring straight at her, a cold fury embedded in his face.

"She was throwing a hissy-fit," Kagome explained, brushing off his intense look, "and demanded that I no longer refuse you when you require satisfaction, or something along those lines. And here I had thought your mother was the worst part of the night."

"She spoke to you?" he demanded.

"Questioned me, actually."

His expression got dangerously dark. "Why did you not think to tell me this immediately?"

"Oh?" she intoned testily. "And why did _you_ not tell me that Meiling was playing with you like a child with a doll," she demanded, a miraculously overlooked question snapping to the front of her mind. "And why did you not tell me that Meiling is your shortest step to all of China? Are you an idiot? Do you have _any_ idea the situation you have put me in!"

"Such matters are of no concern to you."

"Such matters are of _every_ concern to me!" she snapped. "I can do my best to fight off your mother's army, but do you have _any_idea how angry I got when that little _trollop_ started _gloating_ over- Over-! GAH! I can not even bear to _think_ about it! I know it is more complicated than it looks, but where the hell is your pride!"

"_Miko_..."

"Do not '_miko_' me, you pinhead! In fact...!" She grabbed him by his ears and roughly planted her lips to his, then pulled away sharply and slapped him across his beautiful face. It hurt her hand more than it hurt his cheek, by all appearances, but damn she was angry. "Every time you call me that, I am going to punish you, **_yōkai_**." The title made him blink as she propped up on her side on one elbow. "So yes, I spoke with your mother, and she asked me the most upfront and humiliating questions she could think of in regards to us, and _no_, I am _not_ going to tell you, you can carry that curiosity straight to your grave for all I damn well care. As for Meiling, what else would you expect me to do? Sit back and watch? I told her that if she ever wanted to see you again that it would be with my blessing, and at the moment I feel more than happy to give it to her!"

He just stared at her, as though seeing her for the first time. Well, he was certainly seeing this _side_ of her for the first time, the side that tamed rampaging mutts and quelled _kitsuneyōkai_ pranks before they even had a chance to form.

"The fight was bound to happen, anyway," Kagome offered, still boiling. "I might as well strengthen my image and our relationship by taking such a bold stand."

"You claimed me as your intended," he stated, appearing a million miles away, completely lost in thought while still managing to focus on her face.

"Since when were you struck deaf," she inquired. "Yes, I did. Why is that such a big deal? We both know that if I win I will simply run away, and then you can have your pick of the ladies or whatever it is you intend to do with yourself."

"It would not be honorable to run," he said in that same flat tone, almost to himself.

"What else would you expect me to do? Stay here and become your mate? You do not even care for me, and once Meiling is gone you are a free man, so to speak. So as far as I see it my job will be done, and we can go back to being _miko_ and _yōkai_acquaintances with a hedged understanding of one another, and I can go mend my emotions for a few months before finding a nice young man, marrying him, and having the best damn sex of my whole damned-" He grabbed her face. The intent look in his eyes made her falter. "... life?"

To say the least, she was absolutely amazed when he hungrily, passionately kissed her.

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><p><strong>AN:** Wow, you got to the end. Let me know if you did so in one sitting, haha. And darn, this means you want an update.

Speaking of, updates will take a little longer in coming since school starts for me this Monday (8/22/2011), but I will keep up writing when I have free time.

I hope you enjoyed it, and that (for some of you readers at least) I offered new material to delight in over and over again until the next update. Thanks for reading, and please review! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts! ;)

P.S. I can't respond to anonymous reviews just in case someone is using another's screen name, so if you want me to reply please be signed in. ^.^


	6. Communicate

**A/N**: Thank you everyone for all of your expressed support for the continuation of this story. ^_^ This chapter had hit quite a few rough patches (a rewrite, plot changes, and then its USB drive was lost along with plenty of other fanfic data, so I had a HUGE sad over that and had to re-rewrite everything) but it's finally here and ready to be seen! Any of you who have issues with it can go sit in the corner, I've probably put a solid eighty hours of writing into this chapter and am in no mood for flaming. :) It's long, so good luck!

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><p><strong>Step 6<strong> – _Communicate_

**By now you and your lover should have a complete and solid understanding of one another and how things will naturally play out in the breaking of your engagement. You should also feel able to maintain your image as a couple (even if it is a false relationship) with the greatest of ease. There are certain things that you must still focus on until you sense the approaching termination of your arranged marriage/mating. Please read from here to chapter nine, make notes, and study how to appreciate each individual step simultaneously as opposed to focusing on one at a time in the order given here. Perform each with respect for its unique principle and exercise all steps ****several**** times a day.**

**To communicate properly, discuss matters with your lover before taking **_**any**_** course of action which they are ultimately a part of, as the consequences of not doing so may be handled harshly (particularly if you are a **_**yōkai**_** couple or proudly belong to a stringent culture). Remember the rules of your lover's customs and keep them close to heart if you must make a decision on the spot. Keep in mind the fact that a poorly thought out decision tends to have terribly stupid outcomes. It is recommended that you make communication a repeated daily activity and that every issue which comes to mind is properly and thoroughly discussed as a team as soon as feasibly possible.**

**WARNING****: If you have a false image lover, be sure to think outside of the box while communicating. Take their perspective and upbringing into consideration and settle any concerns or questions they may have immediately. Also, be open and share thoughts with your false lover should an opportunity or concern arises. Failing to do this will likely have detrimental effects.**

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><p>Arousal shuddered its way throughout Kagome's whole body as lips and hands caressed her, bringing to mind all of her dirtiest little fantasies. Arguments fled as a very primal sensation warmed itself in the flames of the abrupt passion, a wave of fluttering heat whispering just under her skin and down toward places she would rather not be aware of right then. The sensation enticed her while she lounged on the bed before Sesshōmaru, enjoying his interests, but it was soon accompanied by immense intimidation.<p>

Finding his chest, she pushed the male a few inches away from herself, or at least managed to before he resisted, and turned her own body by some degrees from him to compensate, hoping he would note register the act as being submissive or intimidated. "Sesshōmaru, stop it."

"Hm."

She had to lift a hand between them as he leaned in once more, the gesture giving him pause. "I am being serious." He took her by the wrist and pulled it out of the way with no difficulty as her whole rigid body was shifted, annoying her even more. "Let me go."

"That would be counterproductive." His gaze slid to what he held and to her utter delig- erm, _horror_, he licked her fingers, playing with them.

Trying to tug away from the hold was futile, and any attempt to strike him in the face would result in more humiliation than she desired at that moment. Already he had her heart skipping in a dizzying manner, her lungs flexing for deep draws of air to make up for her body's responses. He had a very nice smell. "Sesshōmaru, this is going _way_ off of the topic." Why she enjoyed him so much was beyond her understanding. She knew her feelings were irrational – after all, she didn't even _want_ those feelings, they were just freeloading in her head and trashing the place during their stay – but that did not seem to matter when given the right mood.

"If you wish to have a conversation, intended, then initiate an engaging one."

The title he offered threw her clear off a dock and into cold and choppy water. Blinking her eyes, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with how relaxed she was getting to be, she tried distracting him. "Your secrets are _quite_ interesting, and I would like an expla-" he nipped lightly at a fingertip with the flats of his front teeth, making her falter as the twang echoed in various parts of her body, "an expla**nation**! **Stop** that!"

"My reasons are my own," was the answer he promptly settled for, her hand a healthy distance from his mouth as he stared straight at her, his intense gaze stealing her concentration.

A distinct, gentle tugging at her waist created great cause for alarm and brought her back to. Looking down with accusation she slapped at his naughty hand, belatedly balling her less than dry fingers into a fist at her eye level. The way he was handling her was so insulting, particularly since that tingle between her legs was not letting up in the least. She was supposed to be _mad _at him, damn it, not responding like a deprived nymphomaniac! "I am _not_ in the mood to be scratched up all over again."

"That is not my intention."

"_Oh, _kami_, he has an intention."_ That just excited her all the more. When she looked up from his stilled hand on her abdomen, trying to glare at him, she just about swallowed her tongue. Sesshōmaru was watching her in an idle, alluring, and very stubborn manner. There really was no mistaking how gorgeous he was, and having every scrap of his attention focused on her made Kagome's neglected baby-wanting side as giddy as a hormonal schoolgirl. On the inside, anyway. "You should not-..." It was a difficult subject to comment on, even with her anger. Just thinking on it had a blush creeping up her neck. "You should not _need_ anything for the rest of the night." A small eyebrow quirk pressed her wordlessly to give more details and she darted her gaze away, a little embarrassed. "You were just with Meiling." That thought annoyed her, and wigged her out a little. The male – yes, she would regard him as such, but only for the chance of emotional detachment – paying attention to her was just with another female, why was she not thinking more over how wrong that and the concept of her arousal were? "And if you _do _need something then I am _not_ available."

"That is an unfortunate mindset for you to have."

The plucking at the ties around her waist continued, making her flinch with a start. Finding her _ki_ blocked – Because really, it just wouldn't be natural if she could touch it around him – she desperately tried the path of humility and aimed her unrestrained palm for his cheek.

"Oh, **damn** it," she cursed at the ceiling upon finding herself pinned back on the bedding, his toned figure braced over her. Tempted to spit at his face again, she wrenched her body against his hold of her and gave him no obvious issues. After a bit she finally paused, breathing a little heavily, and glared up at his smug face. "You are a jackass."

"You are illogically rebellious."

The furrows in her brow deepened. "It is **not** illogical because I do **not** want to be intimate with you and that is a **perfectly** reasonable concept. My refusal and your insistence would be enough to charge you with attempted rape in my time, and ten times over by now at that!" The next chance she had she was frying his _yōki_ to within an inch of his death.

This only seemed to humor him; nothing about his expression or body language gave her that impression, she just somehow knew it. "You want this."

If there was a limit to how wide eyes could open then she was certain to have surpassed it. "Wha-? I _**just**__ said _that I do not!" _"And even if I do it's none of his damn business!"_ "_You_ want this, you thick-minded dunce, _I_ do not. Now get off of me, you _know_ that I am mad at you."

Golden eyes remained placid and calm, but still she could almost feel a carnal heat coming from his gaze, one that fanned her own and reminded her of who was tempting her and what sort of a catch he was. In terms of Mother Nature's standards this was as good as Kagome was ever going to get in terms of hearty offspring and the fact that she was resisting it had her maternal instincts in a desperate tizzy to get busy. The brain was a treacherous thing, especially when her tormented hormones had her staring at his luscious lips as they lifted by one corner into a minimal smirk, moving to form words. "Then allow me to please you."

Time slowed down and giggled naughtily at her expense, getting her to jerk her sights back to his. "You cannot be serious..."

"Earlier today you demanded that I compensate you tonight for certain actions on my behalf."

"I did **not**!"

"You did." His large, warm hand smoothed over the angled plain of her abdomen, thrilling her far too much for being such a simple act. "In the corridors, while I carried you to Hisa."

… She _had _said that. Far from humored, she glanced away, trying to squirm from his wonderful touch and failing miserably. "You **know** that I was acting."

A small smile tugged at _both_ corners of his mouth before his face disappeared to the side of her exposed neck. Lips teased at her skin, caressing and sucking, wooing her nerves to ignite with want. The hand on her stomach smoothed to her side, stroking a heat into her very blood that went straight to her head. As his attentions under her jaw intensified, making her groan lightly despite herself, Sesshōmaru eased his body weight down closer to her, his proximity making her want him all the more. Having a little bit of fun would not kill her, after all. It was difficult to care about the position she was in as he licked her throat, a distant part of her mind becoming quite shocked by that fact. Cool evening air blanketed her shoulder as the _yukata_ was pushed aside and down her upper arm, the secure pressure of the tie around her waist vanishing with a confident tug.

Enjoyable or not, this had to stop here. "Sesshōmaru, **no**, I do not want-" His hand slid up her abdomen, gently seizing an exposed swell of her halfway bared chest. She did not want it to end. "Sesshōmaru, stop this."

The lips teasing her neck parted, revealing firm teeth that slid along her scarred skin, opening wide. He wasn't listening to her, and she still painfully recalled that first loss of control in the woods. She did not want to repeat that again. She _would_ not.

Anger burned away any arousal remaining. Turning her head, she parted her own teeth and clamped them mercilessly onto his ear. A horrible crunch of cartilage resulted and within an instant of her release he was away from her, standing several paces from the bed as she sat up. There were so many emotions running through her head and bloodstream that her legs felt a little numb and her arms shook while holding her upright. The taste of copper in her mouth was... unbelievably gross, actually, but easily overlooked as she lifted her sleeve and spat into it while glowering at him. That noise would haunt her for quite some time.

"Learn to **listen** to me, **damn it**!" Incurred wrath was good wrath to unleash, or so she wholeheartedly believed. "Who the hell do you think you are? _Meiling_? If I wanted to take things that far then I would have participated! Which damn part of 'I am mad at you' do you not understand?" Getting to her feet, a little unsteady for some wretched reason, she steeled herself and didn't even bother with shutting her clothing again before storming up to him. In fact, she planned to shed the now bloodied garment as soon as possible for something cleaner, but first she had a visibly horny dog to deal with. _"That delicious image does not help with my rebellion. Anger, Kagome, focus on the anger! Do I have to run a verbal bulldozer through his head to get my point across? Is that what the main trait of being an alpha is? Sheer willpower put toward being deaf when it's personally beneficial?"_

Sesshōmaru, appearing to be quite livid, lowered his hand from the side of his head as she approached, his ear unblemished even though blood slowly trickled down from his clawed fingers. "_Miko_."

"**Idiot**," she responded it kind, stopping a mere foot in front of him and matching the _inugami daiyōkai_ glare for glare. "Try something like that again and I will banish you straight to that dominating vixen's bed faster than you can curl your tail between your legs and yelp!" The way Sesshōmaru's eyes seemed to harden only provoked her. "Well it is about time you acted serious. If you want to scratch someone up and use them as a play thing then make sure that it is not _me_! I can manage to work around your secrets and dodge my ignorance as much as possible, but how the **hell** do you expect me to accomplish _**anything**_ when you don't talk with me _**and **_when you keep killing any good mood I have!" His nose actually wrinkled a little. Realizing she was on the front balls of her feet in order to get more into his face she settled onto her heels again but continued to glower, determined to get her message through to him. "You **promised** to be less touchy in private, so stick to your word and leave me alone. For your information, being snatched away from my home in the middle of the night and manipulated into helping you already hinders how I feel about this whole 'mutual agreement' of ours, so keep your damned claws and teeth to yourself and stop confusing me!"

Silence reigned supreme as they stood in the room together, a storm of sharp words going barely unspoken between them. It made her think of two large and leaking chemical chambers that were crammed into a bomb shell together. It was horridly appropriate.

The first to speak was Sesshōmaru. "You have stated a claim over me with witnesses, _miko_. The choices are now drastically limited."

The response he chose put her a little off guard. Where was his angry comeback, or his pointed insults, or even a counterargument?

Kagome flinched slightly when he stepped into the small space between them, her foot sliding backward and away from the predator all on its own. She took two more retreating steps before he caught her wrist and pulled her extended arm straight behind himself, tugging her to within inches of his body but not touching. It was extremely uncomfortable to bend her neck back in order to meet his piercing eyes. When he spoke again his voice was a little different, like a growl at a note too low for her liking, but his face was perfectly neutral. In her opinion, he would have been far less scary if his perfectly controlled expression actually matched the intensity of the gaze that bore down on her from such a height advantage. "I must respond to it, _miko_, as unwanted as that may be for both of us. Your cooperation is merely a nicety at this point."

Alarm flags lifted brilliantly throughout Kagome's mind, all of them wagging violently in the gale of his calm anger. "You do not _have_ to do anything," she tried, turning her free shoulder away only to have that upper arm grasped, keeping her at that almost touching distance. The feel of his _yōki_ boiling under his skin was terrible.

"Your words have left us with no other options, _intended_." She could swear that his eyes glinted, the golden coils tensing to strike. "Nothing else remains. From here I may only accept your claim."

Unnerved and with hundreds of thoughts flickering through her mind, Kagome ventured a question as his last statement hung heavily in the air. "What happens if you refuse?"

"My reputation would then be untarnished." His eyes narrowed slightly. "For centuries every male to ever be claimed by a female, even by a lover, has taken her life to safeguard himself."

Kagome felt a weight settle in the pit of her stomach. _"Some lovers..."_ "What about before then? When they would accept a claim?"

"Both of them would be assassinated within a quarter of the lunar cycle." The fact was delivered flat-out, making it seem all the more merciless. Sesshōmaru leaned in by a precious inch and Kagome felt the breathable air in the remaining space between their faces vanish. "You have rendered this outcome. Would you prefer my rejection?"

She could hardly believe it. Of all the questions to have to respond to... "We are not in China."

"_Miko_..."

"It is across a sea, so you can make new rules, right?"

"That is not an option."

Anger started to swirl back to life. "So I die either way then?"

"Not necessarily."

This was just _stupid_. Why didn't he warn her of such a thing? Why was he so damn secretive? She knew that doing this for him was risking life and limb but she didn't think such an outcome would happen due to a **culture gap**!"You told me that I needed to defend my status, honor, and our relationship! What _else_ was I supposed to do in response to that trollop's flaunting?" His expression grew even more stern, a feat in and of itself. "I suppose that banishment is not an option...?"

"Correct."

Casting her eyes to the side, feeling that his stare was way too intense and close, she bit her lower lip in peeved thought.

"_Miko_-"

"I am **thinking**," she snipped, trying to tug herself free and giving up against the shackle-like hold. It didn't hurt – well, when she didn't wrench her wrist around it didn't, although he _did_ save her skin a bit of redness by tilting according to the angle of her useless tugs – but she could reach into the back of her mouth and try to pull free a molar with her pinky finger with just as much success for loosing something. "Can I have more time?"

"No."

Expression pinching with annoyance, she met his eyes again. It took a surprising bit of effort to stay mad at him for some damnable reason. "Well, what if we left? Tonight, and let them assume that you did not hear of my claim yet." The flat stare he directed at her for a couple of seconds was not as hard as it had once been. In Kagome's mind that meant that she was onto something, and it filled her heart with a feeble hope. Time would solve everything. It always did. In this case it _had_ to. "If you want me to break you free of Meiling then give me time to consider everything. You cannot tell me that there is nothing you can do as an excuse for leaving. You _did _spend a whole summer just walking around Japan."

After an intense moment, enough time for her oddly angled back to start shaking slightly with strained muscles, he straightened and released her, a small frown on his face. "That is a feasible way of delaying the inevitable."

Taking a healthy step back she felt at her uninjured wrist, wondering how someone could be so strong yet gentle, and did her best to shelve her annoyance before stepping away and shedding the layer of clothing, letting it drop to the floor while walking to where her small mountain of garments sat folded in the drawers. "Then we should do it before word of my... _stupidity_, spreads." Berating herself was one of her least favorite pastimes. Maybe she could match her sour mood with a vivid yellow kimono she had come across once before while Chiro dug through the collection. That, and perhaps a dark purple _honobi_...

"The two of you had better leave quickly if that is the plan."

Balking, Kagome followed Sesshōmaru's sharp gaze to a candle.

It flickered in greeting. "We must practice your awareness, my dear. How long will the two of you need?"

Swallowing her reprimands for eavesdropping, Kagome glanced up to see Sesshōmaru waiting for her answer. Put on the spot and wanting to quickly correct her level of dress, she turned from the audience and opened a drawer, glad to find more _yukata _folded and waiting. "... Seven days."

"Three," he countered.

"Five," she fired back, somewhat enjoying the small battle of wills as she threw the top garment around herself. It was a light colored orange with darker patterns of small butterflies fluttering around in the design sections of the garment. Close enough to yellow, she supposed. A dark blue sash soon found itself up high around her waist to secure the garment.

"I will expect the both of you within four days then," Hisa stated from her flame, guttering slightly with mirth. "Leave soon. A certain mother is on her way here as we speak. That female is sparking at the mouth and searching desperately for a gas cavern of trouble to explode in." At that Kagome launched into gear, grabbing at drawers to hunt down things she would need to bring. "The two of you have that female's twig of patience burning at both ends. I must extend some gratitude for that, as I have been quite amused for some time now. Do not hope for a warm welcome home though. … Sesshōmaru, I would like a brief word with you."

Kagome glanced over her shoulder from her drawer pulling, seeing the _daiyōkai_ approach the candle and actually bend down to a knee. Whatever Hisa was whispering to him Kagome just hoped that the flaming female wasn't up to any pranks. It was one thing to be her pupil, another to be her reliable practical joke, and something **dreadful** to be both. Time was of the essence at the moment though, so she ignored the pair and snatched the somewhat hidden box containing her _miko_ garb from a bottom, unused drawer and moved on to the general location of the _kaimaki_.

"You must leave very soon," Hisa warned as Kagome pulled the folded garment out.

"Okay, okay." Throwing on the _kaimaki_ and grabbing up the box, she collected some simple _zori_ and slid them on around her _tabi_. By the time she was done and turning to face the room Sesshōmaru had changed into his classic white and red attire with the yellow and blue sash, armor and everything, and she about dropped what she was holding. _"**How** the **hell**...?"_

"Now, _miko_," he ordered a touch irritably.

Snapping herself out of the small daze, she adjusted the box in her arms and walked outside in his footsteps, having to hustle in the tighter wrap of her _yukata_ as he strode from his quarters for the _engawa_. When he stepped off of the edge of the wood and onto his _yōki_ she followed without pause. Despite the rough spots they had in their relationship she did trust him more of late and stood confidently on the _yōki_ beneath her feet. Sesshōmaru still slid a clawed hand around her waist though, the contact highly padded by her _kaimaki_, and braced her securely against him before lifting them away. The willingness to make such contact made her wonder if he had actually gotten over the fact that she tried to bite the edge of his ear off, let alone the last five minutes of anger. Then again, making her tolerate being pressed up against armor may be his obscure way of saying he was irked. Either way, it was amazing what _inuyōkai_ decided to let slide and what they found offensive. That, or his mood was all Hisa's doing... Kagome did _not_ want to deal with the last option, so much so that she was going to let that sleeping dog lay.

As the _o-shiro_ barrier loomed closer and closer ahead, making her skin crawl in memory of the first time she had passed through it, a question baited itself annoyingly on the tip of her tongue and her eyes slid down toward assembled and ready soldiers standing guard of the territory. "Will anyone pursue us?"

"It is highly unlikely."

"_Which leaves room for the possibility."_ It seemed a little unprofessional to be running away like this, and actually surprising that Sesshōmaru would permit it, but she was not prepared to handle his mother and the full blow of culture shock, and she _definitely_ was not ready to commit to the decision he wanted her to make. In every scenario, in every situation, she could see herself choosing survival and accepting him, working around the issues as she could while trying to enjoy herself and not feel like a tainted tool. It would be a huge sacrifice on her part, one she wished to avoid if possible. She was comfortable with pretending, or as comfortable as she could manage, and really going further with him _would _be fun of course, but their lack of communication on such matters and their clashing moods made her want to avoid such a decision right then. It did not seem right to give such an answer in the setting they were leaving. After all that they had been through together she had developed a very strong respect for her gut feelings, and at that moment they churned with the fact that acceptance meant something they were not ready for.

As they approached the barrier Kagome felt Sesshōmaru's _yōki_ leap up around her, coating the entirety of her body in a unique manner, and they passed through flawlessly. As the essence disappeared she shivered. It was not his _yōki_ that wigged her out or any other raw quality about the energy – in fact she rather enjoyed feeling the once rare sensation – she simply did not like it when things invaded her privacy with such familiarity. The same went for getting shots from a doctor. The whole process didn't really hurt, though some shots had a tendency to burn, but getting them, allowing the needle to penetrate her skin in such an alien way and inject her with some dead virus or whatever someone else deemed appropriate, wigged her out every single time.

Sesshōmaru had been right in his prediction; no one followed them from the _o-shiro_. As it became a speck in the darkening sky she sighed with relief and turned her head away from the sight, examining the terrain. From that altitude she could see ocean in the far distance after a blended sea of greenery, mountains rearing out of the ground here and there. Maybe she could blame the slight lack of oxygen on her permissible, unforgivable behavior at the _o-shiro_... Maybe.

"So," she began, wanting to break away from her thoughts, "where are we going from here?"

"To your village."

"Are you going to abandon me there?" At his nod she felt an odd weight lift off of her chest and she exhaled with some relief as her shoulders loosened. "For how long?"

"Two days."

Frowning, she wondered if he planned to go back to the _o-shiro_ after that amount of time. Instead of asking though she merely nodded her head in acceptance, clearing her throat of a small tickle. Whatever he decided to do he would do it and no opinion of hers would change the fact.

As the pace he set regulated she pulled away from him and took a trusting seat on the _yōki _with her back to the wind. Setting her clothing box in her lap, she sat there and traced patterns over it in the fading light with a puckered tip of her _kaimaki_, the sleeve ends inverted from being gathered into her hands to seal off the exits for warmth's sake. As content as she could manage, Kagome began to contemplate the various angles of her predicament. The first issue, at least the one she did not mind acknowledging, was the fact that she had a battle to prepare for and little to no information about neither her opponent nor _inuyōkai_ battle traditions. She didn't even have a battle _date_ to think about. Would it be within the hour of their return, or in a few days? Maybe the _inuyōkai_ would follow their traditions _and_ their sorely lacking appreciation for time and would schedule the event to be in a year. A decade was even plausible.

"_No, that's just silly,"_ she thought to herself, crossing out the thought on the box as she scrapped it. _"Sesshōmaru is in his prime and that fact will have to be respected." _He most certainly was, too. Still young and energetic, his body mostly developed into full maturity and plaguing him with desire for sensuous things. He would grow to become a _very_ fine male... Blushing, she jerked her thoughts back on track. _"Probably the most time I have to prepare is a week, maybe two. I should go about this expecting it to happen upon our return. Hm."_ … "Sesshōmaru?" There was no reply, but she figured he was listening anyway. "Have you ever physically fought with Meiling?" Plenty of sexual situations came to mind but she did her best to banish the thoughts, her box sketching becoming more forceful.

"Such an act is forbidden."

"Really?" That made his life potentially... unpleasant. The guy had such a liking for disposing of things that displeased him, at least going off of Inu-Yasha's rants. Then again, that tradition of theirs was probably the only chance of him getting together with a female. "I am wondering what kind of a fighter she is. Do you have any hints or suggestions to offer?"

"None."

Shot down completely, she stared at her box as though it were a screen and started to watch herself lose the impending battle in a variety of ways. Actually, perhaps it wasn't impending. After all, she _may_ just be beheaded for her audacious claims as opposed to being honorably disemboweled.

"Unfortunately."

The amendment was unexpected but when she glanced over, seeing the yellow and blue sash around his waist jostle in the wind while he stood solidly at her side, she couldn't help but to smile and appreciate the extra word. "Well, I will figure it out." She was going to have to train like she was preparing to enter the Olympics under three different categories. Using bow and arrows was not an option for her, seeing as the weapon was cumbersome and the combat was likely to be close range, however, this did not leave her without options for physical weapons. After three years of preparing to live in the feudal era and three years of _being_ in that rough and boring time she did have other useful choices to rely on. How effective they would be against a _yōkai_ who was over a thousand years old she had no idea, but it gave her some sense of security. If the fight or beheading was not scheduled immediately upon her return then she also planned to harass Hisa for as much battle info as that _hiyōkai_ could part with.

The last of the evening's adrenaline leaked away and she caught a yawn in her sleeve. It had been a very long day and she was still tired from all of her endeavors. Sitting there, she found it difficult to believe that the daylight's squandering already covered so much, including being marked in the bathing chambers and plenty of training. Perhaps time was lying to her and those things actually happened yesterday because that _afternoon_ had felt like an entire twelve hours in and of itself.

The sunlight was almost fully gone when Kagome looked up at the sky again, only the slightest hint of blue glowing on the far off horizon where sun had set. Moving had her acknowledging her body more and she shivered. The nights were indeed getting colder, enough so that she could see her breath mist before their movement tore it away and left it behind. With this in mind she adjusted her _kaimaki_ around herself yet again, pinching and folding off escape routes her body heat may be tempted to take.

Darkness eventually settled in and her thoughts ran rampant. There were many unanswered questions she had, many unsettled worries, and many things to do in those two days of being in the village. Winter was underway and there was much to attend to before leaving them again; not that she would sacrifice any training opportunities she had, of course. Also, she wanted to see her friends, to tell them that she was fine and to wrap them each in an embrace. Shippō probably missed her and the thought had her wishing yet again that Sesshōmaru hadn't stolen her away like that. Come to think of it she hoped that Inu-Yasha wasn't half-starved looking for her...

That train of thought ended with a roll of her eyes and her attention stretched out of her own head. The silence seemed to be something that Sesshōmaru was frigidly comfortable with. It only made sense though, keeping in mind her most recent offense to his person. A little appalled by herself – one, particularly a _miko_, did not make a habit of biting at _inugami daiyōkai _ears – she maintained the peace as fleeting matters quarreled for her attention. They served as a means of distracting her from the present, drawing her back into herself...

Upon arriving at the village she had to decide what herbs to see to first, what helpful vitamin dosages the villagers would require before the first snows, what housing repairs most urgently needed to be addressed, and the storage had to be assessed and replenished... there was a plethora of work to attend to. It was not a daunting matter though, seeing as she did look forward to helping the villagers that needed her while Kaede's health still waned, and in a way Kagome needed the village. It was a solid, stable rock in her life, something that stood as part of her identity in that era now. Helping the village was a covert way of helping herself with having a meaningful purpose in life.

Many seconds passed with her lapsed in thought, slowly churning by into ten minutes, then twenty, and the longer it lasted the more she settled into a tired slump against her own knees. The front of her torso and major areas of her limbs were fine, but extremities such as toes and her nose were getting so cold that she was starting to ignore the slight burn in favor of nodding off.

"_I can't fall asleep like this..."_

Undoing herself where she sat in a little knot of limbs, thusly opening her _kaimaki _a bit, Kagome embraced the cold invasive air that chilled her quickly pebbling skin and sighed to herself. The small amount of movement really had her realizing just how chilled and lethargic she was getting and she shuddered before flexing various muscle groups. A protective buildup in her nose dislodged with a tickle, making her sniffle, sneeze, and suddenly feel miserable. Having a runny nose was terrible, something the truly despised, and as though to say it hated her right back she wound up sneezing again where she sat.

"Ugh," Kagome uttered, wiping around her mouth and sniffling her thanks that not much had flown out and away. Her self-gratitude was exponentially increased when Sesshōmaru was just suddenly _there_, knelt next to her and lifting her face upward for a better look. The faint light did wonders for pointing out his stronger facial features, making her heat hiccup. With a start she turned her face, removing her chin from his hold and betting away his warm fingers in a plea for privacy. "I know," she defended with a measure of exasperation, "humans are weak and pathetic pieces of trash littering the planet." She faced the completely opposite direction from him and sneezed again, wiped her nose while sniffling, and tucked her feet inside of the _kaimaki _once more, trying to manage around the shape of its cut. Why had she ever even moved? It was perfect before then. Or at least she could more easily ignore her bodily discomforts.

"Is this a normal human reaction to the cold?"

Nodding and trying to keep her sinuses from dripping, she put her whole face into a sleeve and patted her cheeks with her hand to warm up. "I will be fine." She was cold and tired and her body was rebelling against the stupidity of her brain. _"The sun set between five and six,"_ she pondered to herself, shutting her eyes and breathing hot air into the sleeve. _"It's probably nine by now. I wish he could go faster without increasing the wind impact. I really gotta pee, too."_ Life was merciless.

Deciding to leave her alone Sesshōmaru stood and monitored their travel once more. Why he had bothered to get all the way down to her level and touch her was a curiosity, considering he could have just asked or even just not have cared.

Her thoughts shuddered on the hinge of that word as it squeaked obnoxiously. _"Maybe he __**can**__ care, but it seems so..."_ She was not sure how to fill in that blank. It wasn't _weird _because she didn't see him as some regal robot programmed for perfect self-love – even though that was his most frequently used personae around others, but she had seen him with his guard down on a regular basis of late – and it certainly wasn't _unexpected_ because she needed to function in order to meet their agreed upon ends so being healthy was mandatory.

Mulling over the little display of his 'care' she found a smile creep into her expression as began to feel a little warmer inside. It felt nice.

"_Stop that,"_ she scolded herself. _"Don't you **dare** start behaving like that again."_ Thinking of the bathing chambers and her little admittance... _"Uugh..."_ Her face was promptly extracted from the sleeve and buried in her folded arms. If only hiding from the world was so easily achieved. To think that had only been earlier that day! _"Try and avoid having shit happen and all you get is a different smelling shit. I_ _am going to have a hell of a time updating my calendar with past events. Maybe I'll just draw blushing faces all over the place."_ Really though, she had obtained a very heavy dosage of humility under Sesshōmaru's nose and she was very happy to be leaving for the village for a couple of days. _"Then I can get my sanity back. I need to get into the real world again. I didn't even **want** to help Sesshōmaru, that jerk!"_

Steeling herself, promising to drop her fantastical crush on him in those two days that he left her alone, Kagome settled once more and allowed her thoughts to trail off into daydreams of when life was easier. High school was actually quite fun now that she reflected on it, full of social encounters whenever she desired, lots of single guys around, the homework gave her something to do every night and weekend, and the little challenges in learning new things and having a weekly schedule was nice, much better than working routinely in the feudal era and regarding time by seasons as opposed to days or weeks, or even hours. The years she had spent there already had simply slid away from her without much to benchmark anything specific. Sure, things were fine for being at a slow and easy pace, but it all felt like a dream when she looked back on it, just a blur of snows and flowers with no marked or worthwhile events to interrupt. Aside from family and friends, another thing she missed in particular was her mom's cooking. She could almost smell the air as steaks were grilled. They were always delicious and the hot juices ran down her chin if she wasn't careful with how she ate.

Her eyes snapped open with shock as she tilted off balance to one side, her shoulder bumping into something solid, and she jerked herself upright, blinking at the night and watching her breath slip away as her heart raced with excitement. _"Was I asleep?"_ She could have sworn she was at her mom's dinner table eating steak. Glancing over revealed Sesshōmaru, standing stationary as he had for most of the night. The sight tossed her back into reality. _"How can anyone have that much stamina..."_

"_Miko_."

"Sorry," she apologized with a weary voice, huddling and trying to calm herself with steady breathing. Next time she would definitely aim for the edge of the _yōki_ as opposed to his leg.

"Voice your needs."

Blinking, mulling tiredly over that statement and thinking of her sore bladder, she glanced slightly over toward him, staring at his sash as it danced through the faint moonlight with the constant gusts. Then she looked away. "I am fine." She had not stayed awake very late after sunset since living in her proper time. In the feudal era you lived by the sun for the most part, staying up for a couple of hours after sunset perhaps but paying for it with firewood, candles and perhaps lamp oils. "Are we almost there?"

"We will arrive just before sunrise."

"..." Lowering her head to her knees, her chin pressing into the rounded edge of her fancy clothing box, she almost broke down and cried.

"You may sleep, _miko_."

"I am _fine_." Sunrise? That was so far away...

"You are human. As such you are prone to ailing yourself for the sake of your dignity."

That got her head shooting up. "I am sorry, but _what_ just came out of your mouth?" Twisting her neck to look up at him, feeling only a little affronted, she could hardly believe that he managed such a hypocritical statement. His face was set like cement as he stared straight ahead, catching her a little off guard. _"Sheesh... He's flaunting more mood swings than I **ever** could."_ Desirous and driven at the baths, dispassionate in the halls, unquestionably testosterone driven in his rooms, affronted by a well-deserved attack, concerned for her well-being, now as frigid as an ice sculpture. Actually, his ability to flip moods like a coin kinda made her a little jealous, but only because he pulled it off so darn well and with such dignity. If she could have done that in her own time during puberty then _she_ probablywould have felt like she could have ruled the world and all of those living in it just like he seemed to believe of himself now. With teenagers in mind, she had to admit that in terms of anatomy she _was_ older than Sesshōmaru, so as ridiculous as it seemed he could be going through a slight mood swing that day for all she knew. The ear biting probably didn't help improve his disposition, but having a female around who was desperate for his intimate attention really should have made him more... mellow. _"Those two would probably make the worst porn this planet could ever hope to see if he was with her earlier that night and is **still** such a stickler now."_ Well, to jump off of _that _lovely mental imagery and back into the fiery mood- "And since when was I allowed _dignity_ while alone in your presence?" Sesshōmaru demonstrated his choice manner of looking down at her, done by moving his eyes and nothing else, as though it wasn't worth the effort to turn his head. The darkness of the night was only highlighted by a sliver of moonlight, so she mostly knew that he changed the angle of his gaze by its golden glint as it moved in her direction, the sight making her startle briefly as he refused to verbally respond. "... Fine then Suddenly Charitable-_sama_, land soon."

The glint reappeared. He had looked away. "Your need for sleep will not hinder the timeliness of our arrival."

"_Damn."_ "That is not what I had in mind." _"Not entirely..." _"I have to relieve myself."

He did not argue with her. Soon Kagome found herself squatting behind a lovely bush over a small foliage-cleared patch of ground that really did not deserve her abuse. Within minutes of landing they were back in the air, her standing with great alleviation at his stable side and holding the edge of his sleeve as the _yōki_ carried them upward at an angle.

Being there, monitoring how the pace and altitude regulated in the apex of the ascent arch, she wondered if there was something to discuss or if she should just be awkward and sit back down without saying a word since expressing her thanks. The decision was made for her when Sesshōmaru shifted at her side, and the next thing she knew the world decided to jostle her around and situate her square in his lap.

… The concept hit her with full force as he made the final adjustments for her position, leaving her comfortably uncomfortable. "Um..."

"You should rest."

"You must be joking." Squirming, trying to turn herself out of his hold, she offered a humph and stopped her efforts in favor of words. "Okay, I give up. What is wrong with you today?" Again Sesshōmaru merely slanted his gaze toward her, making the idea of pinching his cheek off very tempting. "Seriously, I am dumbfounded right now."

"I am not the one suffering from indecisive moods."

"... Was that a pointed remark?"

"Yes."

Grumbling, she crossed her arms out of desperate need to keep her twitching fingers to herself. "_Do_ elaborate then."

It took him close to a full thirty seconds to organize his thoughts before responding, something she found to be remarkable. It had her bracing for a full ten minute speech. "Your sanity is questionable these past few days."

Kagome's jaw almost unhinged. "_My_- You-!"Forcing a measure of zen, she continued with only a little bit of bite to her words. Only a little. Really, she was proud of herself. "Well, _your_ mood swings are making me wonder if you are adult enough to even _have_ a mate yet. Why are _mine _of such concern?"

"They change drastically multiple times a day."

"And yours do not?" She hated when conversations mimicked recent thoughts, but this time it proved useful since her side of the story was already somewhat pondered out. "Have you even noticed what you have done today?"

His response wasn't immediate, but the two second pause didn't seem long enough for him to have reflected on anything. "I am responsive, not responsible."

That statement about made her eyes pop, both with how wide open they were and from her raising blood pressure. "There is no such thing. And if there is then _I_ am the one responding to _your_ hectic decisions. For example, _now_. How am I supposed to react to _this_?" A little frantically she uncrossed her arms to wave her upward facing palms around her lap, pointing out the position he had literally plopped her into. "I mean, what is _this_? What _is_ this? I can sleep just fine on your _yōki_ if I need to!"

"You roll in your sleep," he stated nonchalantly, unimpressed by her little display of 'serenity'. "This is not a valid begetter of heightened emotions."

"I am _going_ to be emotional when you are refusing to open up to me with explanations," she snapped at him, hoping to verbally tweak his nose or something along those lines. This position was not strange to him? Fine, she could accept that to some degree, but everything else was still there for the shredding. "First you were all hot and passionate around sunset, then you shut down and reverted into your stone self."

"First you splayed yourself before me on my intimate territory while verbally challenging my status," he stated, mimicking her speech pattern, "then you 'shut down' and reverted into your overly defensive and indecisive self." The silence in which she flapped her jaw and glared daggers at him was quickly ruined. "The _nekoyōkai_ are infamous for their mating difficulties. Your behavior very closely relates to any of their females."

"Oh, **you**-!" She had seen how cats 'mated'. In fact, all felines were pretty much the same. The females were first a flirtatious sin, then when mounted turned into hissing and rebellious she-devils who... made a lot of unpleasant noise. "You tried to _seduce_ me after being with that **tramp**, and you _know _that I do not want anything to do with you!"

"Seduction is an art form reduced to a game for females. Your inability to understand yourself and what you communicate is not a failing that I am responsible for."

"Oh, I do _not_ intimately beckon for your attentions, so you can take your gender role assignments and shove them right up where the sun doesn't shi-" Blinking up at his eyebrow, seeing as it was right in line with her upward gaze and now very, very close, she found herself thoroughly cut off as her mouth was covered in a familiar and intimate manner. Swinging a hand for his face, she about threw her elbow out of place when it wasn't where it was supposed to be, and her thumb almost nicked her own nose. "**Stop **that! I can make grammatical errors if I so wish while angry!"

The intense expression he directed her way, something she could easily see in that lighting with their proximity, was supposed to be daunting. Right now it was just irritating. "You came to my bed, _miko_."

"You can shove _that_, too, seeing as you made sure that I have nowhere else to go to sleep."

"Because anywhere else is not appropriate for a claimed lover."

"Which I am because _you_ manipulated me into this bullshit." Feeling a little out of breath and definitely overheated she yet again crossed her arms, pinning fingers under armpits and glaring like the sun off of polished steel. "This all stems from _you_, you cocky _moron_!"

"You sealed an agreement with me, promising your participation at a price," he pointed out, seeming done with the argument when he looked away from her. "The blame, it seems, belongs to both of us."

"I refuse to be responsible for your sex drive," she grumbled, shifting in his lap again. It was great that his armor completely covered his groin, and she wondered if the length of metal was sticking out below the _yōki_ for the way he sat... "If you are curious about other females then you have three lurkers to choose from. If you are curious about _human_ females then you have a huge world to exploit at your leisure. Why you have to bombard **me** – your comrade who specified from the beginning that she does not want anything intimate with you – with your random phases of excitement is beyond my comprehension, and why _I_ should be held responsible for your lack of effort in finding a willing partner is incomprehensible."

"Your behavior is that of a lover's," he began immediately when she stopped. "You are meek in public, yet demand respect when we are alone. Your body language is suggestive and available, but not desperate. The only difference is that you say 'no' when the correct response is 'yes'."

"I am **not** your **lover**," she bit out. "I am your lying ally in a battle against your culture, bloodline, heritage, and birthright responsibilities. Your willingness to overlook that gigantic detail is what I am annoyed with."

"In turn, your lacking communication skills are hindering your performance both in public and in private."

"Now we are arguing in circles."

"This is a direct debate between the two of us. If anything we are backtracking on a single line of constant disagreement."

"Oh, whatever," she grumbled, rolling her eyes and tucking back a strand of hair that flipped in front of her face in the wind. "My point is that you know the facts, you know my opinions, yet you still try to wriggle your way past my defenses to break that one condition I set in place. I do not understand why it is such a temptation and why you do not recall my blatant verbal statements contradicting any desire I may have."

She actually felt him sigh, lifting slightly in his arms as his shoulders raised by a hair, but the sound was lost to the gusts of their travel. "You toy with my instincts, _miko_."

The admittance made her stare. She could imagine him saying such a thing when they were presenting issues in a calm manner to one another, but to do so in the heat of argument was so... For lack of a better word, it seemed submissive. That really cut into her anger, making her a little uncomfortable as gratitude blossomed. "I am sorry for that. You also toy with mine. Perhaps we should be more open about that sort of thing."

"Hm."

The argument was dead, leaving her with residual annoyance that could not seep away fast enough. It was a little humiliating to see him so calm when she had worked herself up so much. "I am sorry for yelling at you, too. I probably would not if you offered more explanations relating to your thought processes. It may seem odd to do, but we come from vastly different backgrounds and I _will_ interpret your actions in my own way unless you bother to correct my misunderstandings." Sesshōmaru did not have any apparent desire to make a response. Feeling in the wrong, she tried another approach to repair their social bridge. "This is difficult to admit, but you _are_ very handsome, your traits and social status are superior to most others on this planet, and for those reasons and-" Here she went again, admitting her heart out like an honest felon. "-and more, you easily get into my head in the wrong way. If things were different, if my predicament in life was different, then I would probably welcome your expressed interest with open arms." That caught his attention and she nervously looked away from his gaze, sucking in her lower lip and biting it briefly. "Ugh... I should _not_ have to explain this, it is _very_ embarrassing."

"Your sacrifice is appreciated."

Shifting in his hold, her arms still crossed, she tried to think of a way to make herself feel better. "I already sort of admitted as much earlier today." That didn't help. "When you try and woo me I feel that, after all I have stated and all that I am tolerating on your behalf, you are trying to take advantage of me." Shutting her eyes, feeling extremely disheartened over the little roller coaster that day summed up to, she finished her thoughts off quickly. "It does not feel good. Please do not try to take advantage of me again."

Seconds passed, her thoughts churning as she tried to not break down into tears from stress and raw emotions. The support for her back moved, his hand soon finding the nape of her neck, and she found herself pulled up close against him, her face tucked away under the angle of his jaw to the side of his throat. It was like a very trusting hug.

"This is intimate," she pointed out miserably.

"It is." The clawed fingers rubbed up through her hair tenderly, in a way holding her head in place if she tried to recoil. "This is a way in which _inuyōkai_ offer apology."

"It seems rare." Sniffling, sucking in her lips and gently biting them for a distraction, she tried to relax for his gesture and let her brow, cheek, and nose rest on him. The culture difference in the 'apology' was a whole canyon in size, but she could accept it and shove her own culture aside for a time.

"It is reserved for a select few in one's life," he admitted, his voice a warm rumble against her face while his fingers still soothed her by running through her hair and over her head. "Try to rest."

"I think I am too cold to even consider it," she attempted. It was true though. Being deposited in his lap had displaced her _kaimaki_, making it difficult to keep shut, and presented chilled armor along one side while the opposite had to embrace the night wind, _and_ her feet could not be tucked away. The only warm thing about her had been her temperament for a while and even that was now put on ice.

Fur brushed her ear, warm and soft, and a gentle pressure began to lay over her. Opening her eyes, she pulled away a few inches and looked down toward her lap, watching as his pelt wrapped itself in a zigzag pattern where it could over her figure. Her _zori_ were slipped off, one by one, and the fur even enclosed her frigid feet. Soon she found herself completely covered, her lap consisting of waves of fur that ruffled in the breeze that could no longer reach her. Heat began to seep in more quickly that what seemed logical, first noticeable on the side of her head and around her hands but then also penetrating her thin _tabi_, then into the thick material of her _kaimaki_. It was wonderful.

"Will this suffice?"

"Yes." She hummed on an exhale while smiling a little. It was hard not to when you were being looked after by someone who always tried to act like a prude. "Thank you."

He nodded, and the hand still cupping her head closed the three inch gap between them and settled her back down to his neck. Another source of warmth he seemed willing to provide her with. This level of intimacy, or rather humble apology perhaps, was not something she was accustomed to, and it _did_ have her thinking he was sweet and caring because, really, he _was _being sweet and caring right then, and even ended their argument with admittance earlier. Regardless of her innate discomfort she nestled against him, glad to accept his 'apology' and indulge herself a little in the intimacy he thought nothing of. Being with him like that was warm, sheltered, comfortable – mostly, since he was still wearing armor – and secure, and she was very tired. Perhaps she _could_ fall asleep like that, though she would likely wake with a terrible kink in her neck or shoulder, or both.

Easing into his hold, her thoughts circulated, keeping her mind busy as she warmed in the embrace of his fur. Coherent thoughts gradually lagged, favoring imagination once more, twisting reality just enough to turn into idle fantasies she had little to no control over. One of these tattered ends of coherency resulted in her startling a little upright and blinking her eyes open, not sure if she had dreamed or vividly imagined, only to find that she was still sitting in Sesshōmaru's lap as opposed to happily mewling in his ear as he undressed her in his bedchamber as opposed to entertaining their earlier argument.

"I **don't** want to have sex with you." The sentence sort of just popped out, making her try and wake up a bit more and mentally stumble over what she was saying. One thing was glaringly obvious at that immediate moment, and that was the fact that she had said far too little. "Not even pretend sex, nor mating, because it's too much."

After that she just decided to shut up and finish waking. The whole scenario seemed to humor Sesshōmaru, to the extent of his lack of an initial response, but overall he handled her earnest half-asleep statements well. "You have made that desire obvious."

"I don't desire you," she defended on impulse.

"The desire to not express intimacy in private, _miko_."

"... Oh." It was then that the embarrassment for the last thirty seconds hit. "Right. Okay, just... making sure." Sesshōmaru made no reply. Feeling self-conscious, the emotion a little distant through the slight daze of waking up suddenly, she ventured an innocent question to express her humility and ability to stumble into such circumstances. "Am I awake?"

"Barely." A hand on her side gave her a small squeeze, barely noticeable but enough to tell her it was there. She probably had been unconscious for a while, seeing as he had moved his arm to that new location. "Go back to sleep."

"Okay." Far too tired for a yawn, she found that she also sat deeper in his lap, since lowering her head had it resting her upper brow as opposed to her face against his neck. Hoping that she just dreamed the last forty seconds up she quickly mellowed once more and sighed, perfectly content exactly where she was.

* * *

><p>Listing to her breathing, feeling it against his upper chest, Sesshōmaru noted their direction of travel and made a small alteration and resumed the normal pace. He had ignored the surroundings, lost in thought and comforted by the female's presence, and her waking had in a way brought him back to his senses. When she startled into consciousness after some small portion of the night he realized that he had been petting her side while thinking, but her outburst focused on other, unaffiliated matters. The distant look in her tired eyes had him wondering if she was even awake, and both her question and the ease with which she fell back to sleep confirmed his suspicion. The brief event suited her quite well; utterly spontaneous and not completely thought out. It made him smirk. As far as the subject of choice he remained unimpressed by her fears and simply let them fester until their inevitable undoing. The fact that she suffered from the natural process was not favorable, but it was something that he had witnessed throughout his life between couples of varying statuses. It was surprising that such could associate with a human <em>miko<em>. Perhaps some of their issues would be resolved after she had time alone to understand her personal qualms and fears.

As the female's breathing slowed once more into a steady resting pace he felt a sense of calm and well-being swell within him, uplifting his mood once more. There was a great sense of satisfaction sourced from having her there and he rather enjoyed cradling her like that. It was not intimate, as she seemed to fear, but it also was not a normal event in his life and he was beginning to learn to enjoy it. Perhaps there were other ways to keep her in his lap, aside from erring and needing to make amends. There really were only a select few during the life of a male _inuyōkai _who could receive such an apology, limited strictly to very young siblings, something he never had, and an intimate other, something he also never truly had. Having her with him like that felt right, and it settled his lately disturbed instincts. The discomforting formality he had endured throughout her abnormal silent phases melted away, her welcoming presence banishing his concerns for a later time. After the reprimanding bite and his dominance asserting retaliation her behavior had become distant and it bothered him immensely, reminding him of the last time he had overstepped her human limits and rendered her agreement and conditions. He did not wish to frighten her, merely to display his strength and birthright, but as she recently commented on her interpretation of his actions, which had altered the message he offered through innate gestures. He was a strong male, mature in age and with a heritage that could permit her death for giving him such a childish reprimand, and he would demand her recognition and respect. She had reacted like a human though and it perturbed him that she could not understand what he should not have to put words to.

The quick recall of her discomfort with explaining her feelings mellowed him to some extent. That frustration could also not be supported when he had wronged her for _his_ lack of understanding. When she revealed her weariness, reminding him of her shortcomings, he saw that it was a weakness he could exploit in order to break her estranged mannerisms, resulting in her sleeping in his lap before he abandoned her for two days.

Shifting slightly, not enough to rouse her, he slid his free hand through his fur into her _kaimaki_ and settled it in the dip of her hip, feeling the thin _yukata_ separating him from her skin. It was enough. She did not desire him sufficiently to become intimate, and she would not permit his carnal attentions, but she was still 'his' until her services were no longer required. His leaving her alone would only be on the secured condition that she carried his scent into her familiar territory. Having another male distract his pretend lover from her task was not permissible, not even while she was away from the _o-shiro_. He was the only male he would tolerate being in her thoughts, at least until the end of their arrangement.

Time flew past unimpeded as the land rolled beneath them. Sitting like that with the _miko_ reminded him, to some extent, of his first months with Meiling. He had never held her in such a manner, but being awake with someone breathing casually on his neck was vaguely familiar and highly welcomed. Meiling had come to the _o-shiro_ a short time before Inu-Yasha was released from that tree of his near the dry well. Initially Sesshōmaru had appreciated and approved of the female's drive for intimacy, even exploited it. Meiling was his first experience of being with a female and it had excited his instincts without limit. The longer he accepted her bites, pinches and inappropriately timed cuddles though, and the longer she asserted herself over him both alone and in public, the weaker he found his urge to frequent her chambers. That behavior was waved aside though and she simply became the one to come to him, slipping silently into his bed while he took rest or pointedly interrupting what he was doing – research, a bath, meeting with the council, anything that kept him in one location long enough for her to scent him – just to exercise her status and special liberties. Nothing had changed about her, nor about him, but over time she grew more bold with her behavior and he grew more and more callous toward her. The consistent lack of respect had him thinking quite a bit over how much she would impact the remainder of his life, and the more he thought about it the less he wished to encourage the female into heat, let alone host her in his home. After the first cycle of the seasons with her he retreated to meander his terrain and found Inu-Yasha had awakened, as well as a decent pastime called Naraku. The next six summers had shown no improvement in Sesshōmaru's mood with Meiling's persistent intolerable behavior, especially when nothing came to replace the defeated _hanyō _nuisance. It was not an abnormal amount of time to spend without inducing a heat, but Meiling was close to setting a new record. It was far too rare of a trait for him to even begin to hope for, but after this long there was a chance that she was infertile and therefore an invalid candidate as an alpha female.

"Hn." Sliding his hand in the dip of the _miko_'s hip, he allowed his thoughts to drift, the moon easing its way through the sky at a generous pace. Perhaps his pursuit of intimacy with this little humanwas sourced from Meiling's persistent lack of a season after all of this time , but he had never heard of such an instinctual issue before. Maybe he was going through another lusting phase, or it could be that it bothered him to have this unclaimed female constantly in his intimate territory without the fulfillment of natural consequences. Given the choices though he would not be shocked if all were valid and influential to one degree or another.

The _miko_ moved and he stilled the briefly resumed movement of his hand, waiting a moment. A sigh escaped her, the breath hot on his skin and pleasing. The cold was escalating of late. The first snowfalls would not be far off. If the _miko_ was to survive the winter with him then she had to be direct with the servants about her particular needs.

"Sesshōmaru?"

Surprised, he tilted his head downward, touching his jawline to her brow and his fur. The night was fairly mature now and her voice was a low mumble, but she responded to his touch by shifting, showing that she was indeed awake. Even for a human he presumed that this was peculiar behavior. "Yes?"

The sound of his voice made her flinch. "What will you do if I fail?"

"Hn." Nothing of immediate importance was on her mind. "You should sleep."

"Stop telling me that." The _miko_ seemed anxious all of a sudden and fidgeted on his lap. "I want to know what will happen."

The female was not making progress toward the rest that she required. On the contrary she seemed to wake up more and more as she spoke. If she wished to speak then she was going to speak, and if her concerns were what kept her awake then they needed to be addressed. A lack of rest made her into quite the hassle. "Be specific."

The sensation of being nuzzled as she rubbed her face up on his neck, perhaps eliminating a small itch, was gratifying and stroked his slight irritation down into a calm patience. A reply was slow in coming, to the point that he contemplated the possibility of her falling back to sleep, but fortune would not favor him that greatly. "What if I lose against Meiling?"

This was an issue that he had not given much thought to as of yet. To say the least, the _miko_ was far too stubborn to lose. When _he_ had killed her she did not die, even though her choice of clothing then had been _far_ from protective. Still, she was nervous, and that was something he had to change. Someone plagued with self-defeat would never know victory. "Doubt in one's own abilities guarantees failure. The present should be spent in preparation, not in fretting over the inevitable."

"I know... But that does not answer my question." When he did not bother to reply she squirmed yet again in his lap. Something was indeed troubling her. "Alright then, what happens if I _win_?"

"You will then live to see another day."

"But I will want to go back home." A small inhale interrupted her, the next bit flowing out seemingly on a whim. "I will be able to go back home, right?" The amount of concern she had over this subject made him quite curious, particularly when she pulled away from him to stare at his face past the edge of his fur, her eyes heavy and sleep deprived. The trepidation scrawled across her expression was a scar of mental torment. "If I win, then my saying what I said- Well, considering what Hisa told us about suitors fighting..." She bit her lower lip, looking to the side. "Did I mess everything up?"

It was rare for him to openly acknowledge any freely given display of vulnerability that he did not inspire. Normally he avoided paying heed to those with weak pride, but for this he allowed himself to watch her, not looking away from the show of shame. Seeing her like that was... He could not put a word to it, but it made him feel good, in a disturbed way. Needed. "Nothing is beyond redemption," he reassured, wondering in the back of his mind if that was a half-truth. "There are always options to choose from." When it came to traditions some options were rather unfavorable.

"If I lose," she pressed, appearing quite miserable as her face tilted down toward her own lap, "will you _have_ to mate with Meiling?"

"If you lose then your mortal worries will cease to exist," he explained, wondering what it was she wished to hear.

"Yes, but what will happen to you?"

"I will survive." That was the best means of phrasing how his life would likely turn out.

There was a span of time without words then, the constant gusts of air howling lightly around them, until the _miko _fidgeted a little in his lap. "Will you be happy?"

The question was sudden and impressively dangerous, harboring many implications and twists for any answer to take. At this point he glanced away from her, uncomfortable. "Worry for yourself, _miko_."

The small sliver of remaining moonlight glinted as she turned her head up toward him, catching his attention but not enough to avert his gaze from the horizon. "Then what happens if I win?"

To be honest, he had little notion of how traditions were affected when applied to a human, or what happened if a female decided to forsake her claim after it had been acknowledged and won. He did not even know when a mating was expected to occur after such a battle. In all probability, this was likely the first occurrence of its ridiculous and implausible kind. If she was a _yōkai _as opposed to a _miko_,or if he was of a lower status, then they would not be having these issues. "Such concerns are best answered with time."

The exhale escaping her was heavy, even as her breath rose up in a small cloud before being carried away on the wind. "How does my claiming you affect my fight with Meiling?"

"Your claim merely assists in validating your right to participate in such a battle. Considering your reason for being here, your claim was needless and redundant, changing nothing in terms of your rights." The answer did not seem to settle her nerves, which were beginning to affect him, and her head sank toward her own lap. For some reason his heart was beating at a slightly faster pace. Her concerns about the future needed to be settled. "Ask for my acceptance and I will give it to you."

The female darted a glance up at him, blue eyes flashing with moonlight again before lowering once more. "Um... Thank you."

That was not the source of her worry. Apparently she _did_ trust him, to some obscure extents. Another possible issue came to mind then "Do you wish to engage Meiling?"

They covered a bit of distance over the treetops before the _miko_ shook her head with denial, hanging her head a little lower.

The weight of her guilt began to gather in his chest, unsettling him, which in turn annoyed him. "Why?"

The female huddled in on herself at his tone of voice. "I do not want to kill her." A small shudder passed through her. "It would be so wrong. I do not even know her, and although it bugged me a lot when I learned what she was doing with you I cannot help but to admit that it is just a part of being an _inuyōkai_." A flustered yet resigned sigh exited her nose. "Is she as cornered in this as we are?"

The weight grew heavier. "Meiling wishes to become my first mate for her own benefit."

"Every girl will find the best she can get," the _miko_ commented. "It is natural, not condemnable."

"In this instance it is both."

The female occupying his lap shook her head argumentatively, lost in thought for a few moments. "Maybe..." That lower lip became tormented again as her brow tilted unhappily. A human's eyebrows were the equivalent to the ears and tail of an _inu_, instant signals of emotions. "Maybe you _should_ mate with her..."

The proposition took him aback.

"I know you do not want to," she hurriedly added, barely pausing between her sentences, "but I have been thinking about this a lot, and really it seems like a good setup. I can not think of a reason for you _not_ to mate with her if _inuyōkai_ mate for familial reasons, especially given the potential she offers. Plus you will have centuries to grow accustomed to one another, as well as other mates to occupy your time with, and your gorgeous pups are bound to make her mellow out so she will not act like this forever. I think that you are-" her eyes shifted up to his as he stared down with mild incredulity at her, then the glistening blue orbs quickly flickered away again as her speech grew more hesitant. It was as though her words were just beginning to process in her own head. _"Maybe _you are-... you know, looking at this in the wrong light?"

The silence she lapsed into was almost as complete as his own. There was so much that had been crammed into such a short amount of time, so many details to correct her on, but those could wait. There was a pressing dilemma of morale to address first, and once that was settled then he would worry about the remainder of her statement. "You wish to back out of our agreement."

The _miko_ reacted as though the words had struck her. "No, it is not like that."

Grabbing her chin, forcing her to finally look at him again, he focused intently on those shifty blue eyes, demanding the truth. "Is it not?"

Mouth bunching up with annoyance, she verbally engaged him. "Sesshōmaru, I know as well as you do that you are worth fighting for and that your goals deserve recognition and satisfaction." The burden within him lightened at hearing her say that, even as she wrenched her jaw from his hold and held it sorely while looking ahead of them. "How am I supposed to believe in your reasoning though if you can not even tell me why you are avoiding this?" The flustered and weary female seemed to be on the brink of a small emotional breakdown as she angrily lowered her hand back into his fur, crossing her arms and refusing yet again to look at him. "How can I trust in your decision if you will not trust in my reaction?"

The logic, if it could be called that, was perplexing. "You are here to fulfill a service, _miko_, and nothing more."

"If I did not know you-" she began, a heat searing her words before her lips pursed shut, cutting off speech for a moment. "I will not just turn a blind eye to your future for the sake of the present."

This was not going in a favorable direction, and it annoyed him. "You agreed to be professional."

"I did. I want to do what is right though."

"Then do as I direct," he ordered, amazed by the hassle she was instigating. "The remainder is nothing for you to concern yourself with."

"But I will regardless." Even her eyes, from what he could see of them anyway seemed to harden with the resolve she had over that statement. "And nothing you say will change that."

The _miko _was risking another close interaction with the ground. The night would have been far more peaceful had she remained asleep. Dealing with rebellion without inducing death was not one of Sesshōmaru's talents. This was, most likely, one of the incidents she had warned him about. "Your behavior and opinions are being affected by your feelings, _miko_." The corners of her mouth tucked downward at that, but there was no immediate denial. "The details are mine to attend to; alone."

"But you are not _in_ this alone," she argued heatedly.

"I would not be if I had a true lover at my side." That seemed to cut at her rebellion a little. He sought to sever it. "I do not fancy your incoherent messages. You do not wish to be intimate with me and you have already expressed the preference to leave immediately after Meiling's departure, yet still you seek the rights of a lover while forsaking the responsibilities."

The female studied her lap for a moment. "... Maybe my feelings _are _affecting my judgment," she admitted, "but your refusal to give me a straight answer sure as hell does not help to make me think otherwise."

As aggravating as this topic happened to be and how preferable it was to avoid, things would be easier if he tried to settle her worries and kept her capacity for future surprises low, but part of the issue was his own lacking comprehension over what was wrong in his arranged mating. In general, everything was happening as could be expected, flawlessly even. Irritation was normal in such relationships, to the point that all males were banned from harming their intended until after mating, and as he admitted to himself before Meiling's lack of a heat had nothing to do with these matters. Every excuse and encumbrance he could name was something that would be repeated with any _inuyōkai _female he chose to mate.

The _miko_'s attention shifted toward him when he sighed. As habitual as it was to allow himself to become angry he knew that they would not be able to easily maintain their agreed upon relationship if he gave in to his more primal nature again. Perhaps clearing some of her misconceptions would now be helpful. "_Inuyōkai_ do not always mate for familial purposes." With a glance she opened up to him, though it was in a guarded, stubborn manner. "Arranged matings as well as multiple matings are reserved only for those of high status. In the lower social levels of _inuyōkai_ society," phrasing this concept was peculiar to him, "mating is an act of great intimacy and fondness, a show of dedication to another after courting and both emotional and bodily bonding. It is never the giving of a mature and available offspring in exchange for familial benefits."

"And that bothers you."

Now after having voiced the matter he analyzed it. It did bother him, in some manner, but it was not something worth admitting, particularly since such was matters were a given for high status _inuyōkai_. It also was not the root of his issues, merely a contributor.

"Maybe you want the right to seek out your mate instead of having a few options thrown at you?" The question was more of a surmise as she thought to herself, intrigued. "That would be easier if you were actually in China. You could bring the females here instead though, perhaps host a social event? I would much rather celebrate and help you hunt than risk my neck over this sneakiness and in claim battles."

"That is not an option," he stated, shooting down her aspirations before they grew any further. "Japan is not a location for gathering officials from the mainland. Perhaps once I securely claim the entirety of the main island then such events may take place."

"Well... damn." The female seemed very disappointed. "I guess this is why I never saw any _inuyōkai _aside from you. Full-blooded, anyway. You should start promoting higher populations in Japan." The soldiers would very readily agree with her and would gladly pursue such a task once Sesshōmaru was entitled to lower status females from China. "The good news though is that I feel a little bit better now about this whole thing. I was beginning to think that you just wanted to be left alone, or something silly like that." A slender finger lifted as he opened his mouth to speak, giving him pause. "_Not_ to say that anything you do is silly, but there is always the chance of something like that being the case."

"Hn."

"Classic Sesshōmaru," the female commented, smiling to herself. A yawn crept out of her and she was soon wiping away tears. "Are we there yet?"

"The night is only a little more than halfway gone," he offered, eying the terrain ahead.

"Oh, good," she managed around another yawn, "because I wanted to ask you about-"

"Go back to sleep."

Giving him a soured look she actually stuck her nose in the air for a moment with a small humph. "Well, _fine_. You are boring to talk to, anyway." Visibly pausing for a moment, she eventually settled down against him again and even moved his fur over her cheek like a blanket. "Wake me when we get there."

As the silence stretched Sesshōmaru was left to his own amusements and he found himself contemplating what to do during her stay in her village. There were several tasks available to entertain himself with. He was long overdue to personally check the borders of his lands and the barracks of his soldiers, something that would indeed require two full days, but even as he pondered that distraction to pursue he found himself considering the possibility of bringing her along. Such an act would be far from beneficial, her mere presence enough to inspire unwanted questions from those he would visit, and the task would take two full solar cycles _without _resting for the nights. Then again, the thought of leaving her behind, in the company of unfamiliar others, still displeased him to a certain degree. The _miko_ belonged with him, at least until fulfilling her part of their agreement. Leaving her behind was unsettling, even if that did promise two days of no needless arguments.

A bit ruffled, Sesshōmaru stilled his hand once more and then dropped the line of thought entirely out of mild surprise. He had completely forgotten about it, but the _miko_ certainly should have noticed and commented about the placement of his hand under her _kaimaki_. In a way, he felt reassured by her silence, and even before knowing if she was a sleep or awake he slowly resumed smoothing his palm along the curves of her waist. No protests came, but there was also no encouragement as she shifted her head against his shoulder, willing herself to sleep. _"Hm."_ Perhaps Hisa had a point to be acknowledged in her whispered parting words to him.

* * *

><p>"<em>Miko<em>."

"_Oh no, not yet.."_

"_Miko_..."

"_Five more minutes..."_

"... Kagome."

Eyes snapping wide open, she sat bolt upright and stared at Sesshōmaru, who regarded her for a moment before offering a 'hm' and looking straight ahead once more.

Blinking, her eyelids feeling heavier by the instant as she pondered the likelihood of actually dreaming him saying her name, she took a deep breath of the early morning air and looked around past the fur covering the side of her head, feeling a little like an Eskimo in a parka. They were still moving, and approaching in the distance was a familiar bare portion of a flat hilltop in the very beginnings of sunrise, with the autumn plighted _Goshinboku_ towering over all of the other trees and the Bone Eater's Well a dot in the middle of the vast orange- and yellow-tinted openness, the colors still all gray in the early morning.

Tired, she thumped her head back against Sesshōmaru's shoulder with a groan. "I don't wanna be awake."

"The composition of that statement was deplorable."

A grunt was the closest that she was willing to come to saying 'whatever' and she rubbed her cheek against his clothing, itching it. Sleep sounded so very, very good and she relaxed, trying to chase down her interrupted dreams with a net weaved of weariness and perfect peace.

"Your inhibitions seem to have vanished."

"Pillows should _not_ be sarcastic." When there was only silence she couldn't help but to laugh lightly at her own comment, pulling away from both him and the dream world. "I am awake, no worries." As proof, she yawned for about eight seconds into the cave of her curled fingers. "I could sleep for another half of a day though."

"Hn."

The face of dawn was tinged with a light blue, but nothing else yet, something she ruefully noticed while rubbing at her eyes. "You will be back in two days?"

"Yes."

Bobbing her head, willing her eyes to remain open, she pushed back another yawn and focused on waking up. "That will give me some time to prepare for battle."

"You wish to fight then."

"Of course not," she stated, rubbing at her face yet again when her eyes watered in protest, that yawn working its way out through the crack in her sleepy defense. "I am more peaceful than that, and value the lives of others too much to enjoy such a victory." Trying to stretch where she sat, she soon gave up and waited for them to finish descending. "But since I have no other option I will do what is necessary in order to guarantee a victory."

As they lowered into the clearing Kagome unraveled herself from the fur and scooted off of Sesshōmaru's lap, immediately chilling to the air. _"Maybe I could ask him to be my bed for the morning?"_ That had her mentally shaking herself more awake, though her suddenly inspired hormones were doing a sufficient job of it after that vivid and enjoyable thought.

Thanks to her they wound up hovering a few feet above the earth as she swapped her clean footwear from the _o-shiro_ for her familiar _waraji_ and _tabi _in the box so as to walk around in the dirt. Gathering up the wooden container and holding it to her chest, wincing slightly over some soreness and knowing exactly what _that_ promised, she hopped off and waved a farewell to Sesshōmaru before stretching everything she could manage in one go, even her jaw in yet _another_ yawn. Falling back down onto her heels, feeling tons better despite the slight numbness down one leg – his lap wasn't _too_ comfy, not with all of that armor – she paused in heading for the village and glanced back.

"Do you require something, Sesshōmaru?"

Her question was acknowledged with the most placid of blinks to ever be seen.

"Go on," she urged, walking away and cramming most of her fist into her yet again gaping mouth. Eventually she finished and waved a hand above her shoulder in a general gesture of farewell. "I will see you in about two days. Do not go and get yourself mated while I am not around to frighten off the horny bitch with the ugly end of a stick."

After a second she sensed him leaving and nodded with satisfaction to herself. Two days without being labeled a lover, two days of not being touched intimately, two days devoid of any pampering, two days of work and serious behavior and training and- And she totally forgot what was so appealing about returning to the village aside from social connections...

"Kagome!"

"There's one of them," she sighed to herself with a small smile. Did he have to yell at that hour though? The birds were only just starting to steadily chirp at one another. Upon seeing red and white she offered a wave while making her way toward the rice fields and the collection of houses beyond the hill's edge. When he reached her it was to stand directly in her way on the narrow path through the drying thigh high grass, demanding her attention.

"Kagome, _where_ have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

"I am sorry to have worried you," she replied, regarding Inu-Yasha's stern expression.

"_Worried_ me?" He flung out a hand in exaggeration. "You've been gone for **seven days**!"

Kagome blinked in genuine awe. "Is that _it_?" Seven days? _Seven_ **days**? A _week_! Only one quarter of the full month that Sesshōmaru expected was necessary for this whole arranged mating to blow apart! A **week**! A part of her was suddenly dizzy. It felt like the snows should have settled in already. Actually, considering the past three years, there was so much that had happened of late that it did all amount to about three months' worth of events. _**Seven**_! That was just insulting.

"Six and a half, kinda," he rectified, frowning at her as she stared through his head at nothing, analyzing her own thoughts. It was then that he took her shoulders into hand and began to sniff at her. "You smell like Sesshōmaru."

Swallowing a chuckle was almost difficult enough to make her choke. "That does not surprise me."

"What did he do to you?"

"He took me away to a magical floating land of servants and luxury and demanded of everyone that I be treated like royalty," she stated, shrugging out of Inu-Yasha's hold and walking around him through the grass. She could hear the gears in his head breaking in protesting around her statement.

As she began to make her way down the hillside, again on the path and mindful of the slippery morning dew, he caught up. "Wait, what does that mean?"

"It means that I was treated amazingly well, considering what and who I am." Casting a glance back at her early morning companion she offered a reassuring smile. "I am fine, do not worry yourself over my condition."

"Why are you talking so funny?"

"Funny?"

"Like some damn high class lady."

"Oh." Speaking like that had sort of become habit, which impressed her. "Sorry. That was part of my training."

"Training for what?"

Kagome's naughty side got the best of her as she took on an appearance of reverence and adoration. "Well, Sesshōmaru-_sama _absolutely can _not_ have a poorly spoken consort at his side. It would be **dreadful** for his image."

Inu-Yasha... well, the best way to simply describe it was that he broke yet remained standing and somewhat functional. "_**WHAT**_?"

"Oh, yes," she continued, wondering when the ringing would stop her poor offended ears. The guy had a set of industrial grade bellows hidden in that chest of his. "Being the resident _Hidenka_ really is a delight. And Sesshōmaru, _oh_! If you think he is good at handling a metal sword then boy would you be impressed with how talented he is at handling _himself_ in bed."

"I'm gunna **gut** that bastard!"

"Sit."

Inu-Yasha face-planted and she knelt down by him, listening to his threatening growls of her name.

"That is for allowing me to be abducted in the first place," she stated while tousling his hair playfully, knowing that part really wasn't his fault. It was simply easier to deal with his mood swings when he was thrown off guard. "Also, I am teasing you. I've never seen Sesshōmaru in any condition save for fully clothed." Standing, she continued on her way, wondering why life was so very unfair. Surely she deserved some amount of nudity from the male. He most likely had an amazing chest, and his back, if his hair was pulled up and out of the way, was probably- She had to stop thinking about that before Inu-Yasha picked up on something. Then again, considering how often she once felt like that for _him_ and earning _no_ desired replies- She stopped walking, and his cursing her name paused in response. "And taking into account how I waited for you for _six years_ to become interested in me, after all the times you'd sneak off with Kikyō and all of those spontaneous teasing kisses you'd give me to keep my hopes up, even if I _did_ decided to have sex with him it's **none** of your **damned business**, so sit, sit, **sit**!" The ground quaked to a satisfactory degree beneath her feet. "I will see you in the village when you're done pouting. And yes, I've missed you, too. Thanks for worrying about me."

"Why you..."

"**Sit** boy."

It really did feel good to vent. It was hardly a wonder that it felt like she had been gone for so long, not after that little conversation and its small enlightenments. She was having the time of her life at the _o-shiro_, with hair raising encounters, training from Hisa, and all of those thrilling and intimate little moments with a seductive Sesshōmaru all sprinkled nicely with pampering and luxury whenever she wished for it. Maybe it only felt like a long time because she secretly wished that it would never end. Being back at Kaede's was going to be safe, secure, and so very utterly drab and dull.

"Kagome!"

But she had to admit while approaching the first house that it had its good sides. Smiling, she tucked her _miko _garb box under one upper limb and oddly opened them, allowing Shippō to jump up into her embrace. He was growing very well of late, already standing level to her upper thigh. That _kitsuneyōkai _school was just what he needed in place of a _yōkai_ family. The director of the school had sought her out though some months after her return to the feudal era. He commented over Shippō's unique situation, stating that while she was 'away' they had attempted to place him with a family and he had absolutely refused, even though their litter of kits were all his age and friends with him at the school. The director stated that while they normally would not make exceptions, it seemed that with Kagome in the picture Shippō began to improve by leaps and bounds, not only continuing with his growth but quickly catching up, too. Normally, it seemed, an abandoned or orphaned kit died soon there after unless found and situated with a new family, and even then it was a low chance for survival. She and Inu-Yasha had found Shippō within a day of the deaths of his parents though, and with that news the elder _yōkai_ decided to cease the efforts in placing Shippō with a proper _kitsuneyōkai _family. She was his family now, and while it had been odd to be told that directly she accepted the news with a smile, knowing that Shippō treated her like a mother figure anyway. It was both heartwarming and heart wrenching to know that he depended on her now. She noticed though that over the years his eagerness for proximity slowly lessened, eventually leading him to visit the village for only a few days every two to three weeks in favor of training and growing.

Kissing his head, she carried her kit to the village on her hip, a coddling position he enjoyed now that he was big enough to appreciate it. "Have you been back for long?"

"Since yesterday afternoon."

"Did you worry for me?"

"Nah," he replied, putting his head on her shoulder. "Inu-Yasha apparently came whining to Sango and Miroku that Sesshōmaru had come and taken you away, but it's not like we're enemies with the guy or anything, and there weren't any signs of a struggle. You apparently even walked out of the village to meet him. I'll let Sango tell you the details, but Inu-Yasha was brokenhearted to know that no one wanted to go on an adventure to steal you back. If we didn't hear from you for a while then we would have gone out hunting, but you can handle yourself. I think Inu-Yasha misses fetching you from the future and saving you from imminent doom on escapades."

"_Hero complex..." _She was glad that no one else needlessly fretted for her, but at the same time it was weird, and a little disheartening, that she could disappear like that and not cause much of a commotion. "So he was the only one worried for me?"

"Pretty much. Like I said, you can handle yourself, and from what I could tell there was no malicious scent left behind and Miroku didn't pick of on residual _ki _so I wasn't too upset." Shippō hugged her around her neck, nuzzling affectionately. A long time ago Inu-Yasha told her that it was to help in swapping scents, marking her as family and vice versa. Shippō would return to the school with her scent all over him and a grin on his face. "I'm just glad that I get to see you, even if you smell like Sesshōmaru."

"I'm glad, too," she replied with a giggle, scratching him behind the ear with her free hand. He sat up in her arms and began to brush her hair with his fingers, grooming her a little. She enjoyed having her hair brushed, though Shippō usually only did so at night. It must have disturbed him more than he was willing to admit that she wasn't there to greet his arrival.

"Hm?" Her ear became slightly pinched and folded in various directions, so she glanced from the corner of her eyes to see her kit frowning. "I've seen this mark before. Did Sesshōmaru do it?"

"Oh, right." She would have to explain that a few times to others. "Yes he did."

"Did it hurt?"

"I was sufficiently unconscious for the experience."

"Um... Good?"

"In terms of pain reception, very. Especially since he would have died otherwise." Grinning, she rubbed at Shippō's back, feeling the pelt that grew with him. _Yōki _rose with the fur between her fingers and her kit closed his eyes, smiling in a silly manner and humming. "Have you been a naughty _kitsuneyōkai_?"

"Oh yes."

That made her grin. Mischief was fine by her, to most extents, so long as she didn't have to actually deal with any of the pranks. "Good. Tell me of your exploits. Have you leveled up yet?"

"Twice!" A toothy grin was directed up at her, green eyes full of pride, and she began to smooth his now somewhat messed up hair. It was longer now, and always had little tangles in it even when it was pulled back. They would be grooming one another for quite some time that coming night. "_Sensei_ says that I may get my second tail early!"

"Really?" That _was_ amazing news. "I'm so happy for you, Shippō! You're turning into quite the fine young male. Soon all the females will be swarming to you. You may have to be mated to two, or three or even four before enough are satisfied."

Her adopted kit giggled self-consciously. "Well I don't know about _that..."_

"Why? Do you have a bully? Tell me if you do so I can go zap their tail around the school."

Shippō merely chuckled, saying nothing.

"Now, now," she scolded lightly, "just because you have a _miko_ looking after you doesn't make you an invalid."

"The other kits are afraid of me..."

"Still?" Sighing, she messed with his hair, offering a small laugh to lighten the mood. "Well, enjoy it. You will be highly respected for your strength for all of your life anyway, I just know it."

"Well, _yeah_," he scoffed, getting a little cocky. "My parents were some of the very best out there! _Sensei_ tells me stories about them all the time."

"And children always turn out better than their parents," Kagome affirmed, pinching his cheek and making him squeal a little. As awkward as it may seem she sort of hoped that he _would_ get a bully. He was growing up in a society in which primal instincts were acknowledged, he needed that rough social interaction that everyone else got, even if he _was_ one of the youngest kits ever to start such training. "So don't you forget it! You're an amazing prodigy child, but how can I take pride in you if you refuse to _have_ any pride? Look at you, growing up so fast and getting stronger by the _day_. If I don't watch out you're going to be able to beat me in battle hands down." Wide green eyes earned a hair rubbing, making him smirk under her attentions. "Plus you are getting to be _quite_ handsome." His tail flicked. It was lengthy now, the hairs longer and not as baby-bushy as when they had first found him, but his adolescent coloration would not begin to come in for a few more decades, when Kagome was almost as old as Kaede. "Just wait, once they stop being such immature brats about it you'll have to fight off all the females so as to be able to pick the best of the best. Hey, _I_ may have to fight off all of their _mothers_ if they want to talk with me about your future relationships."

"What? You can't decide that!" He actually looked worried, his hands planted on her collar bone as he leaned away from her. It made her wonder how Sesshōmaru reacted at a younger age to such a fact.

"Oh, I can," she taunted, tickling Shippō's chest and making him yip with laughter. It was amazing how many more fox-like noises he made with age and exposure to his own kind, possibly signs of maturity but she was not sure. Logically speaking she figured that such noises would be more common when he was _young_. Then again, he would need some of his baser instincts to properly find a mate in his prime, and innate calls and yips were likely part of that process, which sort of humored her. It _was_ possible, for _all_ species of _yōkai_. "And I will if you don't start proving your pride to me. Here I have such an awesome tyke and he doesn't even see it. How insulting."

They entered the main village area, with wide dirt roads between shacks and a denser collection of houses, with Shippō giggling over what she had said. Jumping from her arms he ran away with his tail puffed up and held a little aloft. When he turned around, a wicked little fox grin on his face, he jumped into the air, curled himself into a ball, and in a poof of pink smoke he was gone.

Standing still, looking around for him, she smiled. "Okay Shippō, _now_ I'm impressed."

"He's been antsy to show you that one."

Kagome looked over to see Sango approaching from around a hut where a functioning well was, her twins following in her early morning shadow with buckets of full water in their hands and practice swords in the sashes around their hips. It was still before six in the morning by then, the sky getting brighter with the coming day, and already the vast majority of the villagers were awake and walking about in their homes, even the young inhabitants. Actually, it was the teenagers and single young adults who woke up the latest, if given the opportunity. Kids as young as Sango's twins still walked around bleary eyed for a bit after waking, holding their mother's clothing or sitting to play with a doll as the adults pursued chores. Even Sango walked with a laundry basket in each arm and a third strapped to her back, a normal sight for any mother with three children all under the age of six. Her two five and a half year old daughters were a bit more alert than others their age, their motivation being that they were old enough now to have practice swords. They used those wooden swords on one another as often as they could, and for the first month of having them both were constantly covered in bruises. It seemed rough, but really it built up their resistance and improved wits and speed, as well as respect for a fight and knowing when taking injuries was worth it.

"Well, it's a very good trick," Kagome replied in regards to Shippō's disappearance, embracing her friend while Sango had to 'hug' her shoulder with her chin. The poor woman was always burdened with housework, and Miroku's only escape from equal portions was when he left with Inu-Yasha to eradicate _yōkai_ for the price of food, or sometimes money. The market they exercised in the village was the trading of rice and sometimes personal items or animals, not so much currency based. Miroku only ever accepted coins as payment when there was a larger town nearby in order to purchase goods. Otherwise the coin was as immediately valuable as rocks to them, especially with the feuding samurai and the general instability of coin in such a tumultuous economy. "I can't even sense Shippō anywhere."

The woods giggled, and as she glanced over there was another puff of pink. Her little kit was teasing her, and it made Sango laugh a little. Shippō was definitely in that stage of life where it was his duty to impress everyone he could, particularly Kagome.

"Kagome-_sama_!"

The twins finally noticed her and raced for her legs, making it into a contest to see who got to hug her first. Kagome rubbed their heads as they pinned her _kaimaki_ while smiling down at them and asked that they show her how their sparring practice was coming along. At that age the girls already stood as high as her waist. They grew up so very fast. She still remembered them falling over one another and learning how to run, especially when they both bolted for the closest clear area to demonstrate for their _miko_.

"So, _was_ it Sesshōmaru who took you?"

"Yep," Kagome answered her friend, watching the twins pull lengths of _tasuki_ ties from their clothing to bind back their sleeves. "Where _else_ would I get a silk _kaimaki_?"

"Mm. I would not mistake Inu-Yasha for a liar, but the concept had seemed too strange to be true." Kagome nodded in agreement, which seemed to ease Sango. Her friend's shoulders loosened and she sighed, brightening up a bit with curiosity before setting down the laundry baskets. "For what reason did Sesshōmaru take you?"

"He's in a sticky situation." Practice swords clacked against one another as hard as the girls could swing them while still in control. "His mother has him stuck in an arranged mating that I may be able to get him out of."

"Really?" Sango watched dispassionately as one of the girls landed a solid blow on her sister's thigh. "Keep your guard up, Sada." The response was a thrust to the attacker's abdomen, flooring the other twin. "You too, Ki." The fallen girl began to roll away across the packed dirt with her sword tucked against her body as Sada tried to smack her foe again while she was down and vulnerable. Kiyoshi rolled onto her feet, swinging out her sword, and ran away as Sada yelped in pain, the blow having landed right at the backs of her calves. Sango lifted a hand to yell after Ki. "She's on her knees! Why are you running away!" Kiyoshi stopped, looked back, then flinched and began to run again when Sada charged after her, yelling and brandishing the practice sword.

Kagome couldn't help but to giggle. That was going to be the toughest slayer duo the world would ever see. And Hiroko had quite a bit of training and sibling bullying to look forward to once he was old enough. Already he was walking around, able to talk in simple tenses with irregular mistakes, but his nearly six year old sisters loved to rough up their three year old baby brother whenever they deemed it appropriate. Sango, while she did discipline the girls if they got out of hand, claimed that it would build great character in her son and make him resilient.

Smiling, Kagome continued their conversation. "To put my week bluntly," only seven days... "I've been thoroughly kissed in a variety of ways and have been labeled as a consort. It's all for show, but... I will readily admit that it is quite the life, and very entertaining at times."

Sango glanced over, offering a knowing little smile. "Well, well, well, look who's gotten busy all of a sudden."

"You're... not appalled?"

The _taijiya_ had a wry expression on her face while looking back to her daughters. "I have three children, Kagome. And my first boyfriend was when I was fourteen years of age. Your selection is surprising – **very** surprising – but not appalling. Just have fun and be safe, understand?"

"Heh, yep, but it's not like I really selected him," Kagome stated, watching the twins dash around one another, swords clacking more infrequently now that they both sported fresh sore spots. "In fact, I was insistently turning down his request for a while, even began walking back to the village to get some real sleep, then the next thing I knew it was morning and I was slung over his shoulder and being walked through the woods."

Sango giggled. "That sounds about right." Kiyoshi wailed after taking a hit across the back. "Good job, Sada! Ki, face your opponent, you can't run away forever!"

"That is a little cruel," Kagome commented, watching. She would have to see if Kiyoshi had any serious injuries later and balm her spine before wrapping her torso. If there was one set of bones that Kagome never liked seeing messed with it was the spine, but Sango would be able to pop anything back into place and, so far at least, she never allowed anyone to tend to the health of her children save for herself. It was amazing how much training she had undergone as a _taijiya_, and a type of chiropractics was one of them. Such knowledge helped to heal your allies _and_ it made disabling your opponent easier, be them human or _yōkai_. _"Human body, human weaknesses."_ That was a phrase Kagome would never forget from overhearing Sango's lecture to her daughters as they trained. _Yōkai_, though great at healing themselves, seemed to have a terrible time with dislocated bones. Both Inu-Yasha and Shippō had been on the demonstrative end of that lesson, and Kagome had teared up hearing Shippō whine when Sango popped his arm back into place. Inu-Yasha had been the initial training victim, but Shippō had been in the twin's reach at the wrong time the day after... _"Torn muscles, fine. Snapped ligaments, no problem. Dislocated shoulder, big issue."_ _Yōki_ could mend easily, but when nothing was broken then that talent was a little useless.

"Well, if you want your future children to survive a village raid then I can raise them for you." Sango gave Kagome a gentle smile, meaning no offense. "Even if they are _hanyō._"

"Sango!"

"I know, I know..." she drawled, sounding a little disappointed. "Their father would likely handle their training."

Opening her mouth to say something, Kagome had a brief vision of Sesshōmaru training a little black haired pup with doggie ears and about melted. Then blushed and looked away. "That's just stupid."

Sango laughed and patted her shoulder. "Not really. Well, welcome back, I'm glad to see that you're in one piece. It sounds like your task with Sesshōmaru is unfinished, so go reacquaint yourself with the village while you can. I have to put food in these hyperactive little bellies. Would you like to visit the hot spring with me this afternoon?"

"I'd love to," Kagome agreed, getting over herself.

"Me, too!"

They both looked back to see Rin jogging their way, her hair still rumpled from sleeping and her _yukata_ in disarray.

"Kagome-_sama_, how can you leave without me _and_ go see Sesshōmaru-_sama_!"

"Being abducted in the middle of the night left me with few options," Kagome replied, smiling and accepting Rin's flung out hug. The girl was about fifteen this year, making her as old as Kagome was when she first traveled to the feudal era. She also wore _miko_ garb on a regular basis during the day, seeing as she was a longtime pupil of Kaede's, but she would never have much potential with _ki_. With the _Shikon no Tama_ gone though and the '_yōkai_ raids' limited to farm pests, a _miko_ would really only need to be proficient in medical herbs and spiritual wisdom, not so much the eradication of _yōkai_. It kind of destabilized Kagome in her security within the village, seeing as she was three years Rin's minor in terms of knowledge with herbs and that she was not as popular with the villagers as the bright and bubbly social butterfly, but Kagome still kept at it. Another irksome thought though was the fact that at the young age of fifteen Rin now stood only three inches shorter than Kagome. _"Why didn't I drink more milk as a kid...?"_

"I will see you both later then," Sango bid farewell while recollecting her laundry, interrupting her children and constructively scolding on their form when they began to pull hair and bite. Sada had tried to lash out again, now sporting a cut lip, and they both had to walk back home with lowered heads and hands full of water pail handles with the promise of excessive training to build morale.

"I want to know everything that's been happening!" Rin, quite enthusiastic, positively beamed up at Kagome once Sango and her kids were no longer the center of attention. "Starting with Sesshōmaru-_sama_! How is he?"

"He is fine," Kagome assured. Sensing Shippō as he ran at her back she formed a small barrier as Hisa had taught her and heard her kit choke upon impact. "From behind, eh?" Turning, she watched as he fell to the ground, hand over his nose and eyes wide as he sat with his tail kinked and a little bristled due to pain. She grinned down at him, knowing he could handle it. "I have also learned a new trick. Let's see which one is better."

Rin gasped when half of a spherical barrier appeared around Shippō. He flinched, sweating suddenly, and began to get frantic.

"Calm down," Kagome ordered, making the barrier a bit bigger for him. "You need to learn how to escape _miko_ and _hōshi_, especially now that you're more confident in your pranks. Try to get out of this."

Taking a few deep breaths he did his disappearance trick but wound up colliding into the barrier. Getting up, he pondered the essence, a little less afraid now that he had touched it, and sprayed foxfire at the shimmering wall. The blue flames dispersed before impact, making him frown. "I need help."

"Did you know that most _miko_ and _hōshi_ are incapable of having influence over what they can't see?"

"I can't go invisible," Shippō argued.

"So how can you get out of sight?"

The kit attempted several things, even growing a bush and hiding behind it for a minute. Eventually he began to pick at the ground, thinking, then paused and transformed into an energetic mole before digging at amazing speeds.

"There you go," Kagome congratulated, smiling. "Now you have until I count to ten to disappear."

Rin swallowed nervously while watching, and as Kagome counted she shrank the barrier. Shippō was out of sight by the count of six.

"You better veer the tunnel so that I can't look down and see you," she warned a touch loudly, breaking the barrier and approaching. The hole shot out a cloud of pink. By the time she looked in he was nowhere to be seen.

"He's getting better," Rin commented with a grin. "Still won't help me with chores though."

"Of course not, he's a _kitsune_," Kagome stated. "You should know their fondness for dodging responsibility just through knowing Shippō, let alone from Sango's teachings." Sango seemed to believe that her living in Kaede's Village, in part, made it her responsibility to train some of the occupants in fighting _yōkai_, including the two unofficial _miko_. Rin blushed, working her bare feet at the ground and catching Kagome's attention. "Nope!"

The young woman's head shot up. "But-!"

"No excuses," Kagome snipped, pointing to Kaede's house with her free hand while one arm still pinned the box with her _miko _garb against her side. "It's far too cold out today for that."

"But there's no frost this morning."

"I do not care. March in there and dress, Rin-_chan_, make sure you have your _waraji _and _tabi _as well. And get an outer layer on while you're at it. If you get sick then Sesshōmaru is taking it out on _me_, and then _I_ will take it out on _you_, bedridden or not." She shooed the excitable girl away, making Rin giggle playfully and cover her bottom with one hand as she jogged. Sighing with a smile, Kagome decided that being back for a while was nice and began to follow Rin, wanting to change into some more appropriate attire as well.

Trapping Shippō in the air in mid-aerial attack, she turned to the side to grin at him as he sat helplessly with a worried expression at the bottom of his spherical prison, his tail leaning up against the barrier wall between his legs and touching his abdomen. Changing clothes could wait a few minutes.

"Figure this one out, my little prodigy, before the tickle monster comes out to play."

* * *

><p>Keeping to himself, Sesshōmaru watched from a great distance as the <em>miko<em> reacquainted herself with her village. Inu-Yasha's reception was a pleasant surprise, her handling of the _kitsuneyōkai_ kit was suitable, and her supervision over child violence was appropriately distant. Swords were supposed to be handled with great respect, and there was no better way to build that respect in the young of mind than to have it beaten into them. When Rin came out of the hut more properly dressed and as the _miko_ made the kit howl with laughter Sesshōmaru decided to leave and tend to his own duties. She would be safe.

The morning passed as he scrutinized the only terrestrial boundary of his terrain, the _miko_'s village sitting near its most eastern point, just north of the ocean, a decent place to start the process. This part of the land was unique along the borders, presenting for the most part the flat expansive plains that humans favored. The territory was under his jurisdiction for one specific, long-dead reason, and remained in his control mostly for the sake of integrity and to keep an advantage over the Eastern Lord with Sesshōmaru's proximity to Edo. A short distance to the south of the _miko_'s village, on the coastline just before the beginning of a small peninsula, was where Sesshōmaru had last seen his father alive, wounded from battle and at temporary rest from traveling. Just halfway down that peninsula, close to the western coast, was where the late _Inu no Taishō_'s human lover had resided and where Inu-Yasha had been born. To Sesshōmaru's surprise the human had managed to cross into the Eastern Lands while he was busy with official matters pertaining to his father's passing. The new mother managed to reach the budding city of Edo before Sesshōmaru could return and eliminate the source of his father's tainted reputation. She had been a female of the human court, that much was evident, but what she did with her life before or after birthing Inu-Yasha was none of Sesshōmaru's interest once she managed to evade him. That was the one and only prey that had ever escaped his claws, aside from the _miko _who had outright defied them.

Traveling northwest along the border, moving straight for the wide mountain pass, he spent a great deal of time studying the borderline, assuring the lack of invasion and the maintenance of respect to his terrain by the Lord of the Eastern Lands. As Sesshōmaru neared the first of many strongholds in his lands the morning was easing into midday, a late start to things, and he burnt his scent clean of the _miko _before arriving. This stronghold was the largest in his terrain and tactically located out of necessity. The relationship he had with the Eastern Lord was iffy at best, but then there was not much to expect out of diplomacy with a cold-blooded reptile. The entirety of Japan's main island was divided by 'east' and 'west' in a manner that, respectively, favored north and south. The Northern and Southern Lands lay to their cardinal directions from the main island. Although smaller in size the masters of those terrains did have the luxury of sea trade and not needing to maintain territorial limits.

Alighting at the open gates, Sesshōmaru's arrival was properly welcomed with lines of the _k__òutóu_ bow preformed by two units of armed soldiers flanking the walkway to the main entrance, all of them ready for battle at a moment's notice. As he approached the soldiers in the first rows began the bow, brushing unarmed right hands down left-hand sleeve from shoulder to wrist, then repeating the action for the right-hand sleeve with weapons properly handled in their left grasp. By the time Sesshōmaru stepped in line with each row the bow was formally completed by the soldiers dropping to their left knee, left fist slamming the ground in unison and not allowing their weapon of choice hit the stone while the right fist remained held at the small of their back. Behind him would be a collection of bowed heads, perfectly executed and maintained. When he stepped out of the courtyard and through the open doors into the barrack's interior the thunderous sound of armor shifting as soldiers stood and thrust their weapons overhead was nothing compared to the celebratory exclamation they gave. Such was proper for having their future alpha male and leader of the land in their midst and under their protection while he stayed. Once the doors were closed behind him those standing outside would disperse to their proper posts and, unfortunately, would begin to discuss matters such as annual payments, food allowances, and most importantly, females, all subjects that Sesshōmaru had direct control over and was responsible for.

The local officer stood waiting halfway down the main _rōka_, flanked by his four commanders, and greeted Sesshōmaru with a bow of the head before they clasped forearms in a show of trust and as a demand for acknowledgment. At Sesshōmaru's returned nod the officer offered a small smile and they released one another. While Sesshōmaru was indeed the other male's alpha it was prudent to respect the fact that the officer was not a powerless follower. If this male were to rebel, something that could easily source from a lack of regard and respect from Sesshōmaru, he would do so with the favor of the troops living at this location. If the males had to choose which side to take Sesshōmaru had no doubt that they would forsake him and instead follow their officer into battle for a reasonable cause. They were trained to rely on their local officer for direction, and as their leader the officer had gained every soldier's respect and acknowledgment. It was the same at every stronghold, but Sesshōmaru was certain in the loyalty of all of his officers and did not fret over a barrack rebelling due to a lack of trust and regards. Such was a result of Sesshōmaru's regular exposure to the barracks of the lands since being a youth, exposing him to his future terrain and followers. To further safeguard against such a thing, however, it was commonplace to rotate the soldiers, swapping out their locations and leaders. He would discuss such with all of the officers over the next two days, then write about preparing for the rotation come the next spring, giving them ample time to test their troops and see who would benefit most from another officer's training techniques and specialties.

"Well met, Sesshōmaru _Denka_," the male greeted with a surprisingly deep voice for his stature, perfectly formal in behavior. When Sesshōmaru was a pup, approximately three hundred and twenty in age, this very same male had knelt down and mussed the top of his future alpha's head in greeting before softly flicking a knuckle under his chin in acknowledgment. Such was proper, but the hair teasing had angered Sesshōmaru terribly, particularly when it had his father chuckling at his expense. "How fair the Western Lands?"

"The lands are secure." As the officer turned away, toward the mouth of a corridor, Sesshōmaru began to walk and the high ranking male fell in at his side, the commanders keeping up at one pace behind them. The absent commanders were likely busy handling the soldiers and overseeing various tasks in the barrack. "How fair the soldiers?"

"They are ready and awaiting your call to serve the lands," the officer replied, the nigh traditional questions answered and making way for free conversation. "Your young female is not yet compliant."

That gave Sesshōmaru the briefest of stalls. Meiling, not the _miko_. His arranged mate did not yet enter her heat. "Correct."

"That is unfortunate. The soldiers will require another increase in pay as incentive to remain in Japan and endure the winter without a supple female body to warm their bed."

Weaker _yōkai _slept fairly often compared to Sesshōmaru, and soldiers exerted enough energy to make it a necessity to sleep at least once every two nights. They really would benefit then with having a female in the winters. "An increase in pay and in rations is presently being debated," Sesshōmaru offered, displeased with the subject of choice but not disappointed. Such would be a prudent topic to cover in every base he visited. "I will discuss with the council over alternative means of gaining rights to low status females."

"Do you have any servants you may spare who have recently come of age?"

"None, unfortunately." There were some of age, but Sesshōmaru had to spare them in another manner. Word traveled fast over the response to the last female sent to a fortress to view her options for a male, and while she was happily mated now the process had taken less than half the day and the turmoil had very nearly cost her life. The only comfort she had taken from the experience was that she had been claimed by the most powerful eligible male in the barracks, and her searching had started there because of her interest in that very male, but the event had not lacked for blood. Presently, there were five unclaimed servant females of age at the _o-shiro_, but none of them wished yet to risk life and limb to travel away and become mated. "Perhaps something may be arranged in the near future."

"Perhaps. And perhaps I alone have thousands of young males ready to start families in this barrack. Those who are mated are finding the living conditions stressful. The younger, inexperienced males are trespassing boldly into the family territory just to get a whiff of a female in heat or with pup, and when they return with any trace of that scent on them..." The officer sighed. "We face the potential for a massive rebellion. I would not be hopeful in it holding off for the next three winters. How many females will we be entitled to once you are officially mated?"

Swallowing his annoyance, Sesshōmaru answered freely. "As many as are necessary."

"How many may we receive each autumn?"

That was a more precise question, one he would rather not answer. "Approximately fifteen thousand."

They walked in silence for a few paces, the number sinking in. "That is not many." Sesshōmaru agreed. His troops numbered near one hundred and sixty thousand throughout his terrain and more came from the mainland every other summer. "Especially with this year being lost to us. If the troops could visit with family, bring back any viable relative for mating, then our problems would begin to be solved."

"We will not sneak forces into China," Sesshōmaru stated. "I am aware that such phrasing is unfavorable and bears ill intent where none is, but the taking of females from the mainland in such a manner will be seen as an attack for the sake of bettering ourselves."

"The 'attack' may happen soon, whether an officer orders it or not. I will say this out of loyalty and faith, Sesshōmaru _Denka_. Any officer can soon get it into their head to return to the mainland, and any who do will have the full support of their stronghold. My troops are loyal, but I cannot speak for the others. If I had a place at the council then I would voice these issues more formally, but as matters stand I may merely hope that these concerns are rectified impossibly soon."

Conversation passed for some time in the casual setting of the meeting chamber. As _sake_ made its way between clawed hands other matters were discussed, putting everyone in a more pleasant mood by the time Sesshōmaru took his leave. Talking over the general performance of soldiers and the troop's morale, as well as future wages, relations with China and other such matters was all well and good, but once the officer began to veer the conversation again to the lack of family planning amongst his soldiers Sesshōmaru decided to leave shortly there after. How he was supposed to draw in enough females after mating Meiling was one concern, but if he succeeded in driving her away... He had known that such would be an issue long before pulling the _miko_ into these affairs, and while he intended to stay with the farce it did leave him in a tricky predicament, one he definitely needed to pay more attention to.

The following fortresses were the same experience, merely with different faces and settings. Reports were good, borders were undisturbed, but everywhere he went hinted at the same concerns. Soldiers wanted access to possible mates, and they knew that such would happen once Sesshōmaru took Meiling as his alpha female. With every barrack he visited the weight of obligation pressed down more heavily on his shoulders. These males were there to defend the lands when the call to battle was made and he had an obligation to them.

The day crawled away at its casual leisure. Sesshōmaru could not recall time having ever passed so slowly before. While speaking to officers he easily kept his mind on the topics at hand, initially anyway. While traveling he found his thoughts straying to the _miko_ and focusing on a number of unimportant topics, such as what she may be doing in preparation for her battle with Meiling. It would not be long now before word leaked out to the barracks about the _miko_, and when it did-

"Sesshōmaru-_Denka_?"

"Hm?" Blinking, he found himself staring at the _sake_ cup in his hands and looked up at the only individual in his presence. Some officers included their commanders in all official matters, and others, such as this older male, did not.

"Is something troubling you?"

"No." How his thoughts had managed to stray so far from the debate of taxes he had little recollection. "Continue."

The mature _inuyōkai _slowly lifted an eyebrow at Sesshōmaru. "With all due respect, I do not understand how I may 'continue' if I had finished with a question."

That visit had felt particularly long, as did the one after that, and the next felt even longer. As the sun slipped from the sky his mind slid from the present and out of focus, always wandering back to the same troublesome subject. The more often it did this the more casual his thoughts became, focusing on less hectic matters, so by the time the sun had set he found himself being interrupted by an officer from idle contemplation over which he enjoyed more, the irksome _miko_'s sarcastic smirk or her prankster grin. Such thoughts were kept at bay for a time when the officer reporting to him asked if he was thinking about Meiling. The question itself was innocent enough, but what disturbed Sesshōmaru was the male's defensive reasoning, saying that he appeared to be pleasantly lost in thought over a freshly acquired mate.

Sesshōmaru was bound to grow a reputation for having a terrible temper from that barrack...

Leaving the fifteenth fortress, regarding the last sliver of the waning moon as he traveled with it across the sky, Sesshōmaru sighed with annoyance and argued with himself over what to do. The remaining eighteen permanent encampments that lay strategically scattered throughout his lands, mostly coastal locations, would be easy to tend to, leaving him done most likely within one full day, but his confounded curiosity was getting the better of him with wondering about the _miko_. The worst part was how useless the information was if he ever obtained it.

The idea that she would sleep without him, his scent most likely having worn off of her throughout the day, clawed at him, particularly after so many conversations pertaining to females becoming mates. That _miko_ was not his but she needed to remain unclaimed for him. Not being there to safeguard her from other males was making him irritable. She was in territory he held little direct influence over, sleeping under a roof unfamiliar to him, and was surrounded by alienating scents. The innate want to permanently claim her from others was annoying and urgent, willing him to go to her.

Suppressing the desire he moved on, visiting the sixteenth camp, followed by the seventeenth, then the eighteenth, and finally the nineteenth before the sun could rise. He would not go to her, not until he had finished what he started, and he would keep her out of his thoughts. Besides, returning early served no evident logical purpose, and he was not in the position to have the luxury of indulging himself in such a manner.

* * *

><p>The first day of being back had been... interesting. Shortly after Rin had returned properly clothed Kagome released Shippō so he could run away again, got herself dressed for the day while telling Rin about the <em>o-shiro <em>and the impending battle with Meiling, and after dressing began to ask over what tasks needed to be done in the village. When Rin said that only a few herbs were short on stock Kagome had a difficult time believing it, figuring the girl was attempting to spare her so that she had more time to train, and so began to ask about specific chores, particularly the ones she had not seen to before leaving. As the list grew short and she added mental check marks to completed assignments Rin seemed to grow more and more delighted with herself. At this stage in their training Kaede allowed them to see to things themselves, helping only when it was asked of her in favor of tending to her temperature-affected ailments. When Kagome began to figure that something must have been missing Rin stated that she had already gone to Kaede to ask such a thing. Only a few herbs needed to be found, dried, some ground, and then properly stored, and Rin had already started on one strain of mushrooms.

"I really could not have done everything without the help of the village," Rin stated, almost as though to reassure Kagome for some reason. "And you have already done so much preparation for the winter that I had plenty of time each day to play with the village kids."

"That's good," she replied, assessing the villagers and crops as they meandered the rice fields. That girl was always great at socializing with the villagers, enviably so. The fact that there was nothing that they really needed Kagome for was a little disheartening, but it gave her more time to prepare for her own future, which was a blessing really.

The morning dragged on with spurts of idle chit-chat with passerby and after the rice paddies they began to assess the condition of homes. Despite the lack of necessity, Kagome made a point of visiting Etsuko, a sixteen year old who was due to give birth in the next three weeks and was very frightened by the concept. Being pregnant _was_ a scary thing in that era. Kagome did not know if she would ever want to have a family without a doctorate's degree in the vicinity. Regardless, reproduction still happened and there were certain exercises and daily mannerisms that Kagome knew of which helped Etsuko in both her comfort with the pregnancy and in the impending birth, including monitoring the position of her hips, where she rested her hands when her lower back ached, sleeping positions, and basic daily stretches. The girl was looking to be in great shape, which lightened Kagome's mood by the time she ran into Miroku and initiated some training with the man. After mentioning Hisa their training was mostly based on what Kagome could demonstrate having learned, and Miroku would silently assess what she revealed, tested it, and then would move on asking that she think of something else to show. Later on Miroku assisted her in meditation, something she never easily got the hang of, and she swore that she had fallen asleep upright for a time before he deemed the 'training' done in favor of preparing food for his family.

After working up a sweat throughout midday and into early evening – handling _ki_ for so long and in so many ways really was tiring – Kagome met up with Rin and Sango and together they made their way to the local hot spring before suppertime.

"Details," Rin demanded happily, walking with them and carrying their bathing pail. "I want to hear all about your time with Sesshōmaru-_sama_."

"And no holding back," Sango warned, nudging Kagome with her elbow.

Suddenly embarrassed, Kagome found herself walking between the two women like a prisoner between guards. "I'm not sure where to even begin."

"The beginning is a good place," Sango offered helpfully. "Tell Rin how he 'persuaded' you."

Offering a scoff, Kagome pet the extra _yukata_ folded over her arm as she composed an answer. "He tried four times to speak with me alone before stealing me away, the first two attempts being utter failures."

"I knew it," Rin muttered, not pressing into the story too terribly.

"When we first met with his intentions in mind he was all cryptic and closed off," Kagome continued, straining to remember with clarity. "But he asked me to elaborate on what I knew about arranged matings. The only thing I could relate to was arranged _marriages_, so he had listened as I blathered those facts for a bit then vanished when I started getting- erm, nosy."

"That's our Kagome."

"_Anyway_," she pressed on, giving Sango a slightly contemptuous look and earning only a wink in return, "he came back again soon after and I met him over by the well. By then I figured he was in an arranged mating, and _he_ figured that I would make for a great pretend lover, so after some denials on my part and shared arguments he made my decision for me and I eventually woke up to see daylight and myself in the middle of nowhere with him."

"That's what happens when you say 'no' to something he wants," Rin jested, swinging the bucket happily. "So _then_ what happened?"

A small voice in the back of Kagome's head laughed at the first statement and she sighed, smirking despite herself. "Whatever. I ended up going through Prim and Proper Boot Camp for the first... two days, I think." As the day had worn on the fact that she had been away for so little of time surprised her less and less and just unnerved her more and more. It was not because of losing track of time, that she could accept, but it was more for how well established Sesshōmaru was on her radar. With him gone from within a two hundred meter radius she found herself trying to keep him around via thoughts and memories throughout the day. _That_ was unnerving. "Maybe the first three days... Well, I finally wound up seeing the _o-shiro_ you keep trying to describe to everyone."

"Isn't it beautiful?" Rin seemed to go into a short daydream, as she always did when thinking about the past with Sesshōmaru. It was a leading reason for why some in the village wondered if the girl had a long unappreciated crush on the _daiyōkai_. "I have never seen such a magnificent place in my life."

"It was indeed large and well built," Kagome admitted, not nearly as impressed as the girl was. The _o-shiro_ was a classic castle of the region, and living in the future had exposed Kagome to various styles and sizes of them as relics, but while leaning on the medium size the _o-shiro_ _was_ of very high quality and beauty, and the fact that it floated made it _quite _a rarity, as far as she knew, amongst all _shiro _of the world. On that note, perhaps Atlantis _did_ exist as a _yōkai _city, perhaps a _mizuyōkai _metropolis... The _o-shiro_ had some distinct Chinese qualities though, including the lack of multiple stories of stacked squares floors with roofing accents, making the _o-shiro _impressive with its layout and long corridors throughout the short structure. _Very _Chinese.

"Keep going."

Sango's words brought Kagome back around and she began to elaborate on the various details of her most recent past, everything from the annoying situation she was in with various females to the fact that she stayed with Sesshōmaru in his quarters. When she paused long enough to take in breath, her rant having been a little heated, the comments started.

"You know," Rin piped in, setting the pail aside near the spring so as to shrug out of all of the layers of clothing she had already untied, "I wouldn't be surprised if Meiling was the one who made Sesshōmaru disappear for the majority of some days all those summers ago. It would explain his more serious mood whenever he came back."

"I never knew that _yōkai_ social structures could be so stringent," Sango added in, just starting to undo her outfit along with Kagome. "It doesn't surprise me that they can have structure, but these mating standards seem like more of a mainland thing. Japan is fairly underdeveloped in terms of _yōkai_ civilization, so it makes sense I suppose that the only shows of societal structure the _taijiya_ clans have ever found are small villages for particular species of _yōkai_ to live in as a group. It figures that the civilization we never encountered was wafting high over our heads the entire time."

Kagome giggled along with Rin, shedding her long white _hakui_ as the girl stepped into the water with the pail. "Well, Sesshōmaru _did_ mention the mainland. That's apparently where most of the _inuyōkai_ are, and staying."

"Doesn't surprise me," Sango stated, undressing like a professional. Her years as a _taijiya_ showed through often and sometimes in strange ways.

"_Miroku must love it."_ Smiling to herself, Kagome set aside her _hakui_ on top of the _bihakama_ and started on the final layer, eager to get in the water. "I'm not sure if that's a source of Sesshōmaru's predicament, but it certainly doesn't help that the only high status and mate-worthy females are living across the sea."

Sango grabbed Kagome by her wrist, giving her a start, and lifted her arm up, pushing back the short sleeve to Kagome's shoulder. Glancing down, finding where her friend's sudden interest lay, she bit the inside of her lip and felt self-conscious.

"What is this?"

The deadpan quality of Sango's voice sounded lethal. "It's not as bad as-"

"Don't rain excuses onto my head," Sango snapped lightly, tugging off the _hanjuban_ and moving Kagome around to see her easily. At this point Rin looked up and gasped. "Explain."

"They're-" Kagome faltered at a distinct tug around her tapered waistline, her _susoyake_ loosening and soon sliding completely off and onto the ground, leaving her standing in the chilled early evening air in only her _tabi_ and _waraji_. "They're the marks that a lover would bear from their _inuyōkai _partner."

"... Whoah."

"We didn't have sex," Kagome heatedly negated, throwing Rin a look to quell the girl's wide-eyed wonder and even make her look away. With some renewed vigor she also slapped at Sango's hand as the woman traced one line of four stacked and highly faded 'X's on Kagome's hip. "These are just for show to the servants, who see me when I bathe. All of them are from only two different occasions and after each one a _hiyōkai_ mended me."

"Really?" Kagome flinched when her friend scratched her lightly along thin white scars, her curiosity sufficiently grasped. "These are quite fascinating, actually."

"I think they're pretty," Rin commented in an offhanded way, still visually shying from Kagome's slightly marred skin. "Abnormal and shocking, but pretty by their own right."

Blinking with surprise, Kagome looked at the scars and tried to picture them from a different perspective. They still made her cringe, being what they were, but she supposed that there was some appeal to them, in a weird and exotic sort of way. The more she thought about it though the more it seemed like she was just trying to convince herself that some good came out of the encounters.

"Your neck," Sango commented, leaving the sentence hanging as she brushed Kagome's hair aside. "Bites?"

Sighing and gathering her ebony locks over one shoulder, out of her friend's way, she offered a shrug. "I have no idea if that's a general _inuyōkai_ thing or not."

"It may be," Sango stated, fingering the small hole in Kagome's exposed ear. "_This_ I can believe is an _inu_ trait to some extent. From what I have seen of stray _inu_ though I would presume that they prefer to lick." Sango leaned to catch Kagome's expression. "Does he enjoy licking you?"

Kagome could feel the red flow up into her face so quickly that it stung her cheeks when they acted as barriers to the otherwise explosive blush. "Um..." Some very naughty images of what someone could do with licks when given permission to have at it flickered through her thoughts, very rude and quite inappropriately timed. "My neck, sometimes, but not much."

Sango nodded, finally leaving Kagome alone and allowing them both to continue disrobing. "It's been assumed that many actions of _yōkai_ are sourced from animal instincts, though I've never seen a domesticated _inu_ seize another by the neck except out of violence." With naked feet Kagome entered the water and mussed Rin's hair, making the girl more comfortable in peering at the scar markings. Sango shed her armor and hidden weapons and then joined them. "There may be changes or adaptations though due to taking on a human form. It is difficult to know such things when the subject is also the target of attack or forcing us to defend." When everyone was settled in the warm waters, all out of sighs and smiling placidly, Sango perked up yet again. "Kagome, if you _do_ have sex with him you _must_ tell me every detail about it."

"Sango!"

"Oh! OH! I wanna hear, too!"

"Rin!"

"Only if you choose the life of a _taijiya_ may you partake in such secrets, Rin." A light entered the mother's warm brown eyes. "Have either of you ever seen a male _inu_ knotted in the female he's impregnating? The sight is absolutely hilarious when the female _inu _is a virgin."

Kagome just about died. "Like either of you are going to be told _anything_ that intimate."

"I have ways of getting the information I want," Sango promised, idly scrubbing at her skin. "Besides, it is for the betterment of _taijiya_ everywhere. I plan to someday depict such information to Miroku so that he may write it. It would be useful for when I revive my family's village."

"You don't need to know _that_ type of stuff though," Kagome argued, pouting a little. "And what are you even suggesting, that it's okay to give myself to that arrogant whelp?"

"Oooh..." Rin winced. "So mean... Maybe she _does_ like him?"

"Do not."

"Instant denial is always potential for a lie."

"Sango, stop psycho-analyzing me."

"Kagome's got a crush," Rin teased in a singing manner, earning herself a splash. "Oh come on, you practically live with him, that sort of intrigue is bound to grow."

"Only if they make any moves toward one another in private," Sango clarified, giving Kagome a knowing look, a small smile slowly blooming on her face. "So, how intimate _have_ you gotten without your intended audience?"

Immediately there was an even stronger blush in Kagome's cheeks. "Not very..."

"Liar."

"Shut it, Rin."

"Come now," Sango bid, grinning at her two companions as they lightly squabbled. "Tell us the truth. Kissing tends to go places, and while I believe that you've kept your innocence I'm pretty sure that you've done a bit of, as you call it, hanky panky."

Kagome's entire head felt crimson as her friends looked at her expectantly. Eventually she put her overheated face into her wet hands, unable to even speak she was so embarrassed.

Rin reacted first. "Oh, she _has_ had fun with him!"

"Not as much as you may hope," Kagome admitted weakly, feeling quite tired all of a sudden and warmer than the hot spring.

"Does he have stripes anywhere else on his body?"

Sure that her face could outdo a sunset Kagome lifted her head and stared in horror at Sango. "**No**! I mean- Well, how should _I_ know, I've never seen him _naked_!" Both members of her company seemed shocked and she watched the surface of the water for a moment. "Just because he gets _me_ naked doesn't mean that _he_ strips down as well."

"Has he actually undressed you?" Rin seemed quite delighted.

"Yeah, when I was smashed on _sake_ for the first marking session." That made the girl giggle. Getting back to the main question, Kagome faced her older friend to offer the answer. "And having him with me to give those bites in the first place is... well, more intimate than I've ever been with anyone, so yes it makes me blush but we haven't _done_ anything sexual."

"How do you sleep together?"

Staring at Sango, Kagome about swallowed her tongue at the nonchalant question. "In... various manners."

"Sesshōmaru never needs to sleep, though," Rin stated, looking confused.

"It's to swap scents or something," Kagome provided, "to trick the other residents and send a message to the females."

"That," Sango began, actually covering her mouth, her eyes crinkling and giving her away, "is adorable."

Kagome balked. "What? What's so adorable about it? It's _annoying_! I can hardly sleep some nights!"

Sango closed her eyes and chuckled, her shoulders actually shaking. "But... That excuse...!"

"_What_?"

"Oh, please tell," Rin whined.

"Kagome," her friend began, calming down and getting a little more serious in mood, "scent is a _very_ easy thing to have mingle. I'd say to be thoroughly covered by his would require just sleeping in his bed. Alone. If he wanted it to seem 'fresh' all he'd have to do is hug you for a moment, that's it."

"... You're joking."

"I'm perfectly serious," Sango stated, smiling all over again. "Which is why the excuse is so damn adorable."

"It's not an excuse, it's..." Really though, was there a better word for it? "It's just not an _excuse_." Because that would mean that Sesshōmaru _wanted_ to sleep next to her. Dare she admit, he wanted to _cuddle_ with her if that act was called an _excuse_!

"Aaw!" Rin seemed to be melting like butter in the hot spring. "Kagome, he likes you."

"No he doesn't!"

"He may, Rin. It's sometimes difficult for the receiver of attention to realize what's going on though, and since we cannot witness them together we cannot make a sound judgment."

"Thank you," Kagome almost snipped, hoping the stupid argument ended there.

"But from what she's saying, yes, it does sound like he-"

"He does _not_ like me!" This was getting ridiculous. "Everything we do is for show, not intimacy! He even said that he would distance himself from me in private if it..." Okay, this was sounding like an excuse. "Um, made me more... comfortable."

"Oh, so you _do_ get intimate when alone," Sango teased. "And it bothers our little virgin."

"No it doesn't!"

"I wasn't referring to you, Rin."

"This isn't fair," Kagome argued, her mood flying in every direction now and making her brain feel a little stretched.

With a light laugh Sango gestured for Kagome to turn around and began to scrub her back for her. "Okay, I'll stop teasing, but I want you to feel a little more comfortable with yourself. It isn't the end of reality if he happens to like you in an intimate manner."

"Which he doesn't."

"Does that make you unhappy?"

"No, it delights me to no end." Those words made her chest hurt a little. "Rin, can you hand me the soap again?"

Sango's scrubbing slowed a little. "So, what do you like about him?"

"Everything."

"I am talking to Kagome, Rin."

Feeling a little miserable, though the change of subject was a relief, Kagome gave the question some thought. "A lot of things. I think a shorter list would be what I _dis_like about him."

"That does not answer my question though," Sango stated, resuming a normal pace for scrubbing. "You could say the first things that come to mind."

Sighing under the scrutiny of her friends, Kagome decided to entertain them. "No one can argue about his looks, just to throw that out there."

"Certainly not," Sango agreed, waiting for more.

Being agreed with was nice, and a little liberating. "I like that he's always in control of situations, except sometimes when we're alone..."

"Oh?"

Rin was a silent, wide-eyed collection of giddy excitement.

"Well, he sorta..." This was odd to phrase. "He tries to woo me sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"A lot of times," Kagome corrected for Sango, feeling more bold with every little admittance. "Just last night he tried to disrobe me on his bed while kissing me senseless."

Rin's balled up little fists were doing a terrible job of hiding her face splitting grin. Kagome was very grateful for the girl's temporary silence.

"That was just one of many incidents," Kagome admitted before Sango could press for more. "The second time he marked me- well, it was painful, but initially it was amazingly arousing."

"You like him."

It was not a question. Sighing, waving her fingers in the warm slow current of the spring, Kagome nodded her head to Sango's statement. "I do."

"I knew it," Rin boasted before resuming her silence.

"It was not difficult to see," Sango assured, giggling to lighten the mood a little. "It is not a sin to be aroused, Kagome. Miroku used to do that to me several times a day, and he still does."

"But you are married to him," Kagome argued. "I have only been with Sesshōmaru for a week."

"After knowing him for years," Sango added. "You have seen him in battle, been saved by him, had brief discussions with Rin nearby, all of this while listening to Rin blather on for the majority of any given day about him."

"I am always glad to do so," the girl inserted.

"What I am saying," Sango resumed, annoyed at being interrupted, "is that you did not just meet and fall for him in a week's time." Sango used the measurement of time flawlessly, something all of Kagome's close friends could do. Even the concept of an hour was not strange to them anymore. "You have history with him, and enough interaction time to have a sound opinion about his qualities and shortcomings. He is not a stranger that you fell for, merely a good acquaintance who you are becoming interested in. And by the sounds of it, he is growing to know and like you more as well."

"That would be absurd," Kagome stated, mulling over Sango's words. They were actually comforting. She wasn't falling for him 'quickly', it was merely a change to an already establish acquaintance-level relationship.

"Well, whatever you care to voice, I just want you to know that you have a life to live. You're already twenty-one, Kagome, and you're _not_ getting any younger. My first children are already going to be six years old soon and Rin is learning well in the ways of being a _miko_,enough to be able to tend to the village alone if necessary." That comment highlighted some of Kagome's developing issues from earlier that day. "You should experiment more, get comfortable with a man and with yourself. I'm not telling you to go and carelessly throw yourself at anyone, particularly not at Sesshōmaru, but if the opportunity comes and you feel happy and safe with your interest then live a little. That doesn't mean 'go get pregnant' but so far you've shown no progress toward getting yourself a man, so if anything I'd see Sesshōmaru as a good source of practice."

"That's cruel," Rin muttered, moving to sit in front of Kagome so as to get a back cleaning.

"It's natural," Sango stated. "Kagome can't live a full life if she keeps distancing herself from experiences. We live, we love, we normally reproduce, and in the end we all die."

"_Miko_ live their lives without finding a husband," Kagome stated, a little bitter as she scrubbed ruefully at Rin's back. The girl loved it rough like that, and it made Kagome's task easy and fast.

"Do what makes you happy Kagome," Sango advised, "but keep a bright future in mind while you're doing it. Your body is much more fun to live life in once it stops being a cage. You are not married to duty, after all."

"I think I'm getting mixed messages," Kagome muttered, rinsing off Rin's back once she finished. The girl then moved off to do Sango's, leaving Kagome free to scrub her front down. Her chest was indeed sore and growing more so quickly. Within a few days she would begin her month's cycle. _"Which means I've been kicking out extra estrogen and progesterone. No wonder I keep getting so easily worked up over Sesshōmaru's antics."_ She smiled to herself, glad that her hormones would be more balanced after her period was maybe Sesshōmaru would not pay so much attention to her. That, for some reason, sort of deflated her bubble but not entirely. _"I'd miss the attention. But, yay, I get my sanity back!"_

"You'll get it when the time's right," the _taijiya_ reassured with a small laugh, jarring Kagome for a moment before she recalled the conversation they were having. "Rin, I am going to plug your ears."

"How come?"

"It's a secret. If you fight then I am holding you underwater for a while."

Pouting, Rin allowed herself to be rendered deaf and seemed highly disappointed when Sango turned her to face away, keeping the young girl from reading lips.

"You are not always capable of becoming pregnant," the _taijiya_ murmured to Kagome. "You know this. It is not terrible to exploit your body's design. How else do you think Miroku and I regulate how many children we have?"

Blushing a little, Kagome glanced at Rin as the girl glared at the nearest bush. "That is true. Thank you, I will keep it in mind."

Nodding, Sango released her hostage, who seemed to not have picked up on anything and threw a small fit for it. It was good to keep the young ignorant, at least until they were wise enough to make such decisions that would inevitably affect the rest of their lives. Even the information that Kagome knew was not a guaranteed success but it was a gateway to being a little promiscuous with minimal risks involved, though the risks were great. It made her curious if _yōkai_ could host or give humans any sexually transmitted diseases.

"We'd better change the subject," Sango stated, scrubbing her legs under the water. "Company is coming."

Rin made a disappointed noise, but they all greeted a small group of village women coming to the hot spring for a dip before nightfall. Conversation was pleasant and Kagome was happy to see Etsuko in the mix of women. Normally single mothers who could not or would not identify the father became social outcasts, but this one seemed to be getting along well with the other women of the village. She was the first to leave though, quickly discomforted by the heat and bored with keeping only her feet in while chatting. Kagome was glad that the girl was keeping her body in mind during her pregnancy, and wondered how much abuse the hot spring would experience once her infant was delivered.

After bathing Kagome and Rin returned to Kaede's hut and continued making dinner, checking first on the soup that they had left to slowly simmer. Shippō hopped inside when servings were dispersed, his day of stalking finished and his tail flicking happily. His grin widened when Kagome handed him his first serving in a bowl. They always cooked up enough food to serve themselves and three men when Shippō was around and he ate his hearty portions only to peer around for more when done. Where he put all of it was a mystery to her but she knew that he was a growing kit and so fed him as much as they could spare.

Throughout dinner Kagome asked Kaede about sealing _yōkai_ and elaborated on her future battle, worrying Rin. Kaede was of little help though and really only knew the words to the subjugation beads that Kikyō had prepared when Inu-Yasha first began to visit their village on a regular basis. Even then the beads worked off of borrowed power, relying on Kikyō's incomplete incantation. Kaede's lacking ability with _ki_ was why Kagome needed to be the one to make Inu-Yasha submit, finishing the spell and binding both him and the beads to her will.

After dinner, feeling a little discouraged with her lack of progress toward training for that day, she took out her small calendar book, one she made herself to cover the next twenty years if necessary, and quickly checked the time frame of her last period – This month's plight was right on schedule. – before returning to her task of counting off the days she had been gone. Sesshōmaru kidnapped her on Thursday night, which received a small frowning face for the act, as well as a crescent moon shape. The next day, Friday, had been full of rabbit hunting and training, so it got a sad sweating bunny face. It was also the day that he first started kissing her. That earned a very, very small little hint of a heart in the corner of the day's box. Looking back, she really had enjoyed it, a little. After all, it was just kissing. Sure, she took it seriously, but if Sesshōmaru didn't and if they already had kissed then why not partake? Saturday was when he had really made her mad though and got her all excited over nothing, leaving her for most of the damn dull day to do _whatever_ at the _o-shiro_. When he came back though it was with a _kimono_ in hand and a willingness to train her mannerisms.

"_That's when I asked him to show me what could happen in the halls."_ Blushing slightly in memory of him braced over her, biting her neck for the first time, she tried to keep her smirk to herself. **Two** itsy-bitsy hearts were pocketed in the corner. Sunday, day three, was just training until nighttime when she finally got to wear the _kimono_ and was introduced to his mother and his rooms. Pondering for a moment, she settled on drawing the crude shape of the _o-shiro_ floating on a bed of clouds in the sky. Sometimes those clouds would billow up a bit, enough to hinder the sunlight, but for the most part the only scenery she had seen while there was Sesshōmaru's private garden in the heart of his quarters. _"Day four I met the resident bitches..."_ That had been a rough day, a Monday of course. Meeting Meiling the night before and then that so far nameless contestant for Sesshōmaru's attention was definitely enough to jostle Kagome's nerves, but she got to experience the baths for the first time, which was a plus. Doing so resulted in her drinking _sake_ until her face felt numb in the hopes that it would spread to the rest of her body, but she had felt plenty of the first marking.

Thoughts spiraling around that event, she idly drew a _sake_ bottle with scratches on it and went on to Tuesday. She met Hisa face-to-face that day, so of course she had to draw a little flame, and her training with _ki_ took off. That night also was when Sesshōmaru had revealed a _kaimaki_, spontaneously tickled her, and she slept in an adjacent room for feeling offended soon after... Which led to Wednesday, involving the bathing chamber marking and she was deposited in the Bone Eater's Well's clearing that Thursday morning. Six and a half days exactly. She could hardly believe it.

"Are you catching up?"

Jostled, Kagome looked over to see Shippō smiling down at her, tail swishing lazily and brushing the air just above the floor behind the pads of his _kitsune _feet. His features would become more humanoid with time and training, if he chose. Nodding, she finished her little flame on Tuesday as he looked at her updates.

"You have more pictures this week than the other days."

Pausing, she peered at earlier days of that month to see that he was correct. Some of them marked the phase of the moon, or had a little picture of a particular herb she had gathered, and one had a stick figure of a deer that Inu-Yasha had hunted for the village, but aside from those her days were full of nothing. Just the same old things, perhaps with special twists to them, but every day was just the everyday now.

Disturbed, she closed the booklet with her simple wooden pencil inside, set them aside on top of her _o-shiro_ box, and picked Shippō up, carrying him to the newly added second room of the small hut. They slept in that room, it being the warmest during winter with its walls solidly lined with storage drawers. It was also smaller and could be kept warm easily with a fireproof stone bowl that kept coals alive and burning for some time after everyone fell asleep. Rin was fiddling with this brazier, called a _hibachi_, when they entered to make sure that it would stay alive for most of the night.

Kagome changed clothes as Shippō tugged bedding out of its storage shelf behind a simple _fusuma_ and into place. Dressed for the night, she settled down in the _yukata_ from the _o-shiro_, relishing the soft fabric, and had her kit sit in front of her to be groomed. It took roughly half of an hour to thoroughly brush his hair, pull it back again, then brush his pelt and lastly his tail, rendering him almost to jelly by the end. Settling on the _futon_, Kagome felt him start on her hair and smiled to herself despite unsettled thoughts. To say the least, while everyone else dozed off, even Shippō, she found herself mentally tossing and turning all that night while holding her adopted kit in her arms. Her thoughts were running rampant with confusion and a plethora of emotions. By the time she actually got to sleep it was restless and fitful, full of fantasies with silver hair and golden eyes, and her night was made no better when Inu-Yasha came in and woke her up to ask why she was mewling like a woman with a man over her. Suffice it to say she about broke the poor floor with his face in telling him to 'sit'. After hearing that news flash about her dream noises she moved her bedding to the main room and slept _there_, hoping tospare the others. She still woke up with Shippō nestled in her arms after she had so carefully put him with Rin, which was heartwarming and made her feel a bit guilty. Shippō did not need to sleep while hearing such noises though.

The morning was spent practicing for the coming battle. Miroku walked her through some meditative exercises yet again and stuck around when she grabbed a practice sword for herself. Together they sparred a bit, the exercise easier for Miroku and allowing him to assess her concentration as they exchanged blows with him using his _shakujou_ in place of a _boken _to match her. Kagome had studied various methods of self-defense in preparation for returning to the feudal era, and that included two years of swordsmanship and three years of exercising Wing Chun with an official _sensei _in a _dojo_,plus her three years of being in the feudal era and practicing for herself. The two practices did not overlap much, not with the level of training she had, but both were good to know. It had her winning most of her exchanges with Miroku, but she still lacked greatly against Sango in terms of fighting with swords.

At midday, after Shippō took his leave to return to his school for another ten to fifteen days, Kagome took a break and walked the village with Rin. This was a nigh daily thing that lasted for least two hours but could endure until dinner time depending on the encounters. Old man Bunta had some complaining to do over his wife's aching bones in this cold weather, asking for more medicine. Seeing as this was something of a routine they came prepared with a few dosages – made while they preserved some herbs yesterday during dinner making – for the kind elder woman who, this time, tried her best to make them leave with a splendidly conditioned fur she had made over the summer. As per usual they politely refused, moving along, and knew that within a few days there would be a smaller form of compensation left outside of their hut.

They visited with Etsuko again, and while Kagome was checking the young woman's stock of food Rin had a fantastic time chasing the unborn baby with two fingers running across the girl's tummy. Kagome smiled, touched by the sight of the healthy pregnancy and happy mother, and hoped that Rin would not be too touched as well and get herself with child. Then that mental image that Sango had inspired the day before came back, Kagome's stomach fluttering at the sight of black puppy ears, and she reprimanded herself for getting caught up in such emotions. Multiple pregnancies was a common happenstance in villages, particularly with women close in age or with a strong friendship, and Etsuko was only one year Rin's senior, if not her equal in age. It was difficult to tell how old an orphan was, especially since time in that era was marked by the season, not by a day in a year, but they guessed that she was eleven when she started her period during the winter of Kagome's return to the feudal era.

Kagome wound up needing to cut Rin's adoring rambles short as the girl began simpering about babies while they strolled through the village again, telling her to at least wait until aiding in the eventual birth. Helping Sango, a woman who dealt with pain like it was an injured _yōkai_, give birth was much different than being in the presence of a young girl pushing out her first child after not being scared for so long and not feeling prepared for it.

The day dragged by on its face and Kagome found herself enduring an evening of Sango's training. By the end of it, after two terrible nights of sleep and dirtying her hands with work and practice, Kagome felt positively haggard and crawled fully clothed onto her _futon_ like a dead woman giving up on life. She had the _kaimaki_ for a cover tonight as opposed to the proper blanket. Inu-Yasha had that for himself and he was already settled down, prepared to sleep the night of the new moon away. He didn't always elect to sleep indoors, but sometimes he did, particularly on cold nights or during miserable weather.

"Hey, Kagome?"

Denied her rest and about ready to cry, she turned her head on the flat comfortable pillow, willing herself to stay awake. _"Just a few more minutes, my precious dreams."_ "Yeah?"

"What you said yesterday... Have I..." He seemed annoyed with what was coming out of his mouth. "Do you feel that I've treated you badly?"

Intrigued, she moved from her stomach to her side, tucking the _kaimaki_ in around herself while facing him. "No, not really."

His eyebrows moved in place of ears, crinkling with scorned sadness as he looked away from her. "You said that you were waiting for me."

"I did," she agreed, sighing to herself. "I was, for a while. I'm sorry for saying it like that. I was annoyed. For a long time though I wanted to start a family with you."

"I'm not ready for something like that," he muttered almost to himself.

"I know." Offering a smile, knowing he could see her by the failing firelight, she gave a small laugh. "Really though, it was silly of me. I've grown out of such aspirations, so don't worry about me. It took some time, but I acknowledge that you're still just a teenager."

"Keh. I could start a family if I _wanted_ to, but I just don't, that's all."

"Don't push your luck. You know how much those beads hurt when you're human."

Growing somber, he looked at her and then away again. "I'm... sorry, Kagome."

"Eh," she offered, shrugging as her heart hurt, "it wasn't meant to be, that's all. I'm over it, so you get over it, too. Okay?"

Silence stretched, and as the bedding warmed around her Kagome wished to slip away into blissful, welcomed rest but it evaded her hopes. Behind closed eyes her thoughts played themselves out.

"_I hope I don't dream about him again tonight. Not with Inu-Yasha right here in the room..."_ Maybe, with human hearing, he would be less prone to noticing if she _did _start freaking out over nonexistent attentions. One night was embarrassing enough. Keeping the _inugami daiyōkai _out of her thoughts that day had been easy, particularly when she found something vitally important to focus on or when she was in engaging company, but when she was alone and had no one to rely on for entertainment she had found her mind straying to him, teasing her. She knew that it was the hormones muttering in her head, or at least they were the most convenient thing to blame, but it was hard to convince herself when she was wondering about what he was up to as opposed to where he may have other markings. _"Sango, why oh __**why**__ did you have to put such ideas into my head?"_ Sighing, hoping for a full night of rest, she surrendered herself to whatever dreams may come and focused on oblivion in favor of the male that dominated the lonely corners of her mind.

Sleep, despite her best efforts, evaded her. It usually did when Inu-Yasha slept inside. His snoring was like the braying of a trumpet. After what felt like an hour the reed door separating the two rooms clattered and she looked miserably over her shoulder, seeing Kaede by the glow of the coals.

"You are awake, child?" From the floor Kaede's hunched back seemed even worse than normal. She was indeed aging, and quickly of late. Her hair was getting more white as opposed to a graying brown color. "Why do you not sleep?"

Kagome watched through heavy lids as the elder walked to the water pail, something she tended to do some nights and with growing frequency of late. "I am thinking about things." Kaede took many brief sips of water, not pressing any curiosity she may have had. "Kaede-_san_, can I ask you something odd?"

"You're free to do so, dear."

Inu-Yasha rolled onto his side, interrupting the snores for a few seconds before they resumed. "What's your view on inter-species relationships?"

There was a moment of silence.

"Well," Kaede began, sounding at ease. "I can say what other people feel, but that would not be answering your question." Kagome watched as Kaede finished drinking, replaced the ladle, then moved. The old _miko_ had herself a seat nearby. "And so it happens. You have set your sights much higher though. I do not know whether such is a blessing or an ill omen."

"... What?"

"As a _miko_," Kaede continued without much pause, "you know your responsibilities, correct?" Kagome nodded and hummed an affirmative. "And what is one of them?"

"To support the village," Kagome began, feeling a little blue, "in both establishment and populace. To be a symbol of strength, a rock of belief, and a roof from harm in times of need."

"A woman in love cannot do these things for a whole population, can she?"

"No."

Kaede laughed airily and softly, sounding a bit like wind rustling through field grass. "Are you sure?"

"Not as well as someone married to-" she faltered briefly at the words she was going to say, and the ring of truth echoed in the empty halls of her heart, "to duty."

"That is true," Kaede stated solemnly. "A husband requires love, a child requires attention, and a family requires absolute devotion. A woman cannot be a proper _miko_ and a mother simultaneously."

"I know that," Kagome replied, nipping her lower lip. Shippō always took precedence over her duties when he was around. Always. It was not a conscious decision on her part, he just needed her attention and she was very happy to give it.

"Kikyō was very gifted," Kaede stated, seemingly out of the blue. "The village relied heavily on her skills." Kagome nodded again and looked up when Kaede leaned close enough to make her expression clear in the faded light of the coals. "You are not her."

Kagome faltered. "I... know that."

"Good." The elder stood and scolded her to cease her worrying and go to sleep before departing to her own bed. With few qualms over the _suggestion_ and with the beginnings of a headache Kagome complied, wishing Shippō was there to coddle. Was Kaede mad at her? She never _did_ get the elder's opinion on the matter, so maybe the subject offended her? Or perhaps the answer was supposed to be evident or self-explanatory. And Kagome knew she wasn't Kikyō. She was far too unskilled to even come close to the long dead _miko_. So, was she a disappointment to the village? She certainly felt like a disappointment to herself. Well, no, that wasn't entirely true. If she didn't love herself then she wouldn't think for herself with such concern. Also, it wasn't so much that she was duty-bound, she just had mighty big _zori_ to fill...

Her mind continued on like that, questions chasing her more loudly and persistently that Inu-Yasha's snores into her restless dreams.

* * *

><p>Alighting in the village, irritated that the <em>miko<em> made no response to his careful summons, Sesshōmaru took a moment to peer around the silent setting. Everyone was asleep and he found that to be quite peculiar. _Inuyōkai _rarely required rest, so an ambiance such as this never occurred in his home. The area was also dark, the stars hidden by a thin cloud coverage, and the air was chilled. Snow would come soon.

"Hn." Approaching the small drab building his female occupied, unfortunately the same with an incessant obnoxious snore, he slid open the somewhat noisy door – set up for the colder weather it seemed – and immediately spotted Inu-Yasha. The black hair was not surprising, nor was the fact that the younger male was snoring to one side of the room. What did surprise Sesshōmaru was how displeased he was by the male's scent and how strong it was in the area that the _miko_ slept in.

Approaching her, quickly assessing her condition, he tried yet again to wake the female with a small wave of _yōki_. As disappointing as it was though she appeared to be completely unaware of her surroundings and made no response to his call. So, kneeling down next to her, he reached and tugged lightly on her earlobe, quite impatient.

Immediately she was rebellious, her face twisting as she groaned. On the second tug she elaborated, still groaning. "No..."

"Yes," he insisted in the brief pause between the loud snores, keeping his voice low.

"M-mn..." The _miko_ squirmed under the _kaimaki_, releasing a pleasant surprise. His scent lingered within the garment, though weaker now and greatly overpowered by hers, but it was there.

Lifting the fabric up he peered at her. "Wake up."

She grabbed the _kaimaki _and yanked it down. "Go to sleep."

Tempting, but they needed to move by the cover of night into Kyōto. Even the gathering clouds would not be enough to safeguard against prying eyes. Done with her game, he stood and took her coverage with him. The girl sat up instantly, a sorry excuse for a glare on her exhausted face as her eyes picked out his general shape in the room lit by the faintest of glows from the coals. "You may sleep while we travel and after arrival."

Another groan escaped her and she rubbed at her eyes. "How far gone is the night?"

"The night is half finished." Watching as she turned into a little human ball of misery he wondered over the amount of persuasion this would require. "Gather your things."

"I don't want to go back yet," she practically growled into her hands.

"We are not returning to the _o-shiro_."

With her attention grasped by the reminder she peered blearily toward him, her eyes unfocused and staring quizzically. "Huh?"

"Come." With that he walked out of the still open door, ending the conversation. The female was already fully clothed but she still followed with some small delay, the _kimono_ box held to her chest with one arm as she used the other to begin closing the door.

"That thing is so noisy," she complained after taking a hearty portion of the night to slide the wood shut, coming carefully down the steps before stopping, her eyes unfocused as her head turning ever so slightly. "Where are you?"

Impressed by her lack of sight without the aid of the moon or stars – he was wearing white, after all, and should have been a beacon – he walked to her. As he drew near she faced his direction, hearing him, and when he stopped she reached out an arm, finding the _kaimaki_ he held. "Oh, good, I'm cold." One delicate hand grabbed the garment, felt its way around, then awkwardly tried to throw it on. Taking away from her the box and the odd paper packet that sat on top proved to be helpful "At this distance I can vaguely see the white you're wearing."

"Mind your speech." That was a peculiar collection of parchment on top of the box, and the point of a foreign object stuck out from inside the crease of the bound paper.

Seeming annoyed she rolled her eyes and quickly closed the _kaimaki_ around herself. "I am also tired." The box was fumbled for and taken back without further comment, the small curiosity riding it falling to the ground. When it landed she frowned at the noise. "What was that?"

Bending, he picked up the flat bundle and opened it where the pencil was, quickly skimming its contents. Little pictures filled numbered boxes and a word labeled the top of each box collection, but overall nothing was remarkable, aside from the familiar small crescent shape she had drawn. Closing the packet with the writing utensil as it had been he touched it to a hand holding the box and she felt at it, took the item, and tucked it into her clothing between her outer and inner layers, above the ties of her _hakama_ around the narrowing of her waist.

The night was not growing young. Needing to leave, he gathered _yōki_ beneath them and began their flight. Touching his chest briefly she quickly found and took hold of his arm for balance as they lifted off.

"You are quiet."

"Hn."

"_Hn_," she mocked, shifting her grip on his arm so as to hold at his bicep. The change was not worth much consideration until she gave his arm a small squeeze, testing his muscle and making the contact different than it had been before. He considered her for a moment, but when she failed to do anything other than just stand there he brushed the matter aside.

Lacking the time required to travel as he preferred, Sesshōmaru manipulated his _yōki _into a sphere around them, something to displace the conditions of high speed travel, drew the _miko_ against him to hold her in place and then increased their speed.

The female wavered, seeming dizzy, and he wondered if she would have the same reaction as Rin did when he forced her to endure such a travel method. Her hand grasped his shoulder for support, her brow pressing into the armpit of his sleeve, but she seemed to be handling the velocity nicely.

"I have not traveled this fast in a long time," she admitted, staying as she was for a few moments. When she pulled her face away, showing a slightly blanched expression, she gazed through the sphere at the night, taking deep and calming breaths. "How have you been?"

The question was peculiar, one that he rarely heard in general and certainly not after so few days of being away. "Nothing has changed."

The small laugh she gave sounded disappointed. "I figured that. What were you doing all of this time?"

The curiosity she expressed was strange to him. "Why do you wish to know?"

Shrugging, she put her head against his arm. "Because I do. I am tired and wide awake thanks to you, so the least you can do is attempt to bore me into a stuppor."

"Silence would suffice."

A sigh escaped her and she bounced her head once on his arm. "Where did you go?"

With nothing better to do he obliged her curiosity. "I traveled throughout my territory."

"How vague... You traveled throughout your territory and did what?"

"The borders and soldier barracks have been assessed."

"Fascinating. What did you learn?"

Glancing down at her, he wondered over her objective as she rubbed her cheek against his arm, scenting herself on him and most likely not realizing it. "The soldiers are in need of females and the compensation is lacking in comparative value."

"In need?"

"Many are already of age and more are reaching it each year."

"Oh." For some reason that made her giggle.

"It is a pressing issue."

"I am certain that it is."

The _miko_ was not seeing the seriousness of his predicament. "Mating Meiling is the only feasible means of rectifying the matter in a timely fashion."

"... Oh." Amusement gone, her tone sounded worried. "Do you plan to continue with our agreement?"

"Yes."

"If you want to break it then just tell me."

For some reason her hold on his arm had tightened; minutely, but it did. "I do not wish to mate Meiling." The hold loosened once more. How very intriguing.

"Has there been any desertion of soldiers yet?"

"That is not a possibility for _inuyōkai_," he explained. "Any soldier discovered missing would be hunted down and killed by his own troops. They are more likely to rebel as a unit than take solitary action."

"Oh... But, rebellion is worse, right?"

"Correct."

"Is it a possibility in the near future?"

It was a possibility within the next lunar cycle. Males were unpredictable when they came of age, and even more so when they were in a pack with the same motivation. "Yes."

The female was quiet for a short time, the silence of the night briefly presenting itself. "What do you plan to do?"

He was not certain and voiced as much.

"You have to do _something_, they are your men to take care of!" Her choice of words was very human, but the meaning resonated with Sesshōmaru's own opinion. "You are next in line for all of China, right? Have the guy in your way... removed, or assassinated if it is such common practice for _inuyōkai_, and take what you need then, problem solved in two months."

"It is not that simple."

"Sure it is," she argued, sounding fully awake now. "What is hindering you?"

The issue was a reoccurring one. "I would need to be mated in order to hold such a title."

"... Oh." Deflating, she began to click her thumbnail around her upper teeth, the night air tugging gently at her hair as she hid her face from the cold with her sleeve. The sound was familiar from the night he had forced her to submit and she named her terms for aiding him, the noise she made while trying to sleep yet still thinking. He did not like the sound, but it soon ended. "So you are certain then that you do not want to mate her..."

"There is no doubt."

"Okay." Another sigh and she pulled away from him, taking a seat at his side and facing forward with the lack of wind, arranging her _kaimaki_ as best she could. Remembering the cold he shrugged off his pelt and dropped the entirety of it onto her head, resulting in an amusing sound of surprise. He could feel her touching the fur, the sensation like warm fingers playing across his back, and as she handled it her actions became more bold. "Oh, your pelt." How she was only now discovering this was leagues beyond his understanding. "Why is it here?"

Her continued physical explorations of his fur were very unhealthy for his attention span, making him far too relaxed. It was a relief, however, to feel her in such a way after that separation. "You expressed being cold."

"Oh." The young female maneuvered the pelt around herself, settling it on her neck. "Thank you."

"Hm." The fur was gathered into her lap to create a nest for her hands to wriggle in. No one, not during his mature years, touched his pelt without risking a limb. Even when he was first with Meiling he never liked having his fur touched. Thefemale had attempted the act many times but the results were not as enjoyable as she may have hoped for. Why the _miko _should be an exception was not something he could readily explain, but she did have deft hands and respected the general integrity of his fur. The first time he covered her had not been displeasing, either, and now, after freely giving it over, he found her attentions to it to be quite luxurious.

"Does this move on its own?"

"No."

"I ask because it is moving..." He stilled it. "Now it stopped. Was it moving by itself on our way to the village, too? No, you had a free arm... Right?"

Her confusion humored him. "It is under my will, _miko_."

"Ooooh. That explains a few things." Her petting ceased for a moment. "Can you feel what this feels?"

"Would that disturb you?"

"A little..."

"Then no."

He could almost hear her frown. "Wait, so you can _not_ feel it or you do not want me to be disturbed by the fact that you _can_ feel it and thus answered me in a manner that I would be fine with?"

Toying with her, he settled for a vague answer. "That is correct."

"Which one?" As he smirked to himself she grew irritated. "Sesshōmaru, can you feel it or not?"

"Your fussing is deplorable."

"I swear, if I could see..."

Idle hands tended to grasp onto trouble, and that was doubly true for the _miko_. There were much better things for her fingers to be doing at that moment. "You worry over the possibility of unsettling me."

Low grumblings ceased. "Um, yes, I guess."

"Yet you have handled the pelt plenty already."

"What is your point?"

"If I found your actions to be displeasing in any manner then I would have them cease immediately."

"Oh..." She seemed to favor that word when weary. After a few moments her fingers began to move in his fur once more in that pleasant way. "I suppose you would not have given it to me in the first place, either."

"Correct."

"That," she pressed her face into the fur occupying her lap, breathing hot air into it while stroking in every direction with her hands, the sensations spanning across his back, shoulder and chest where his fur attached to him in his true form, "or you really like it and just want to have a little fun without being caught." Willing himself to not shudder was impressively difficult. "Should I just torment this fur and see what happens?"

"Do so and you will lose a source of heat."

"True." Settling the fuzzy length around herself some more she finally relaxed with her brow on her knees and the box in her lap. "Is Kyōto far from here?"

"We are almost halfway to the capital."

"Really? That is good. You said that I could sleep once we got there?"

"Yes."

He felt her nod against his pelt. "Will we get to see the Emperor while there?"

"No. The Emperor will 'get to' see us."

The female giggled into his pelt. "But of course. Who is the Emperor?"

"The human male goes by Katsuhito."

"That is his personal name and does not help me. What is his official name, or title?"

"Go-Kashiwabara, with the traditional title of _tennō_."

"Oh, okay. I am not too far off on the years then. Go-Kashiwabara was fairly old when he began to rule, over forty I believe."

Hearing and feeling her yawn, Sesshōmaru glanced down to see her relaxed where she sat. It was such a bother to only see her when she sat so close. To limit the gap he took a seat nearby, facing forward with her as the wind parted around his _yōki _ahead. For some unexplained reason she glanced over, laughed lightly, then leaned into him, nuzzling against his shoulder and curling around his fur. He nearly growled with approval.

"You could have waited until morning," she stated, sounding tired.

"Traveling by night is best when entering large human cities." Hauling her up into his lap was tempting.

"Well, the timing is terrible. I prefer sleeping in when this time of the month arrives, _not_ getting terrible rest for multiple nights in a row."

Her wording confused him. "Explain."

"Hm?" After a moment she squirmed a little. "Oh. Well, if all of the signs are correct then I will start my monthly cycle by tomorrow or the next day." She moved again, seeming uncomfortable. "Normally I would not admit such a thing, but considering how Inu-Yasha reacts to it I figure that you would find out within the minute it started anyway. _Inu_ and their noses... What a bother."

"You will begin your heat soon?"

"You can call it that, I suppose... The term we use is 'period' though, and it is much different than what you call a 'heat'."

"How so?"

"Well..." The female trailed off, leaving him to wait. Taking a breath, she rubbed against his shoulder yet again and took on the slightly more formal tones she utilized when planning to speak for a while. "This is going to sound crude, but here it goes. When an _inu_ goes into heat it is because she is releasing eggs to be fertilized by a male on a first-come, first-served basis, at least for animals, and considering Meiling's bodily development and apparent lack of a heat I would assume that the same is true for _inuyōkai_ as well. For a human, a _period_ is exactly the _opposite_. Each month – or lunar cycle if you prefer – a woman's body prepares itself to become pregnant. After normally two weeks since the beginning of her period, so when there is approximately one week's worth of new preparation inside, the body releases one or sometimes two eggs for the chance of becoming pregnant. By the end of the cycle if pregnancy does not occur then the woman's body sheds the decayed egg and whatever it had created for the harboring of an infant, a process that normally takes five to twelve days and that we call a period. With this shedding, or bleeding as we see it, everything is discarded, including the dead egg. The process begins again with the body's preparations and subconscious release of a new egg, which, again, usually happens a week after her bleeding stops, or fourteen days after it starts, and while the fertility window is best in only a couple of days she can still get pregnant later on, but not too easily." The _miko_'s face moved against his shoulder. When he glanced over it was to catch sight of her eyes, closed and tired. "Does that make any sense at all?"

It did. Such was not what he was accustomed to, but he understood the basics. "Your-" he paused a moment on the word, "period is the temporary abandonment of fertility."

"Yes. Well, no... It is to an extent.. If the woman gets really, really excited during sex she can pop out a new egg at any time and get pregnant, but that requires a huge hormone rush that is difficult to come by."

This was very intriguing. She had stated some time ago that humans were incessantly fertile, and while this information was insightful it left ample room for curiosities as to when they were incapable of getting with pup. If all of this information was accurate then there were times of sterility. Breaking the pause, he encouraged the flow of conversation to continue. "This process seems to be a waste of energy."

"I completely agree." She hummed a sigh against him. "If I could have something more like what an _inuyōkai_ female has then I would consider myself to be blessed with good fortune. Then again, I probably would not be a virgin by this age, either." The giggle sounded nervous. "Oh well. I can wait. In the meantime though I will go ahead and apologize in advance. I tend to be a bit emotional while on my period, so, um, yeah... Have fun with that."

"You are already a very emotional being."

"Trust me, I have been an utter delight compared to what I am capable of."

"Hn." A part of him still hardly believed that she could undergo such a process without the influences of a male. Furthermore, if it happened every month and her virginity remained intact, that most likely meant that human males were not receptive to their female's heat. It did not make sense to undergo a heat without the intent to attract males, inspire them to compete for mating rights, and ultimately become pregnant by the strongest candidate. Why exert so much energy when most of it ultimately went to waste?

The _miko_ was openly baffled when he voiced his confusion on the matter. "Well, um, there are some theories on that." A yawn interrupted the explanation and she moved the fur up around her face. "The one that I know best is that constantly being in such a cycle will keep a man around. If the woman is always receptive toward sex and can usually get pregnant then there is always a possible reward for him to stay with and protect her." After a brief giggle the female continued. "There is a catch though, because breastfeeding prevents pregnancy for up to six months after birth. But the guys do not realize that. So long as they can have sex whenever they want then they are usually happy. As for wanting to keep a man around, it is to help the woman survive. With a baby she only has one hand to defend and provide for herself, at least in terms of when humans 'first dropped out of the trees' or however your mother phrased it."

That made a measure of sense. It also reminded him of his father before he ran off to die in the act of protecting Inu-Yasha and his mother. There was a limit to how much someone should be willing to sacrifice for another and his father had displayed a large measure of madness in doing what he did.

"So, I suppose that having a period often is supposed to be a form of protection," the _miko_ continued, her thoughts running straight out of her mouth. "In terms of having a strong man around, that is. He protects the female, or females perhaps, and in return he gets to sire children. A fair exchange if you ask me."

"Hm."

"Of course _then_ culture has to go and be invented and set rules and standards over nature's social norms, screwing everything up. _Now_ it is all about other things, not the simple and spontaneous joys in life. You have to think about who you get together with, how compatible you are, if they will stick around if you have a kid, and where does that leave you when your spouse dies?" The _miko_ lifted her head off of him, sitting upright and away. The sensation of his shoulder cooling was not preferable. "Then there are men who have sex with women who are too young or too whatever to know better, get them pregnant, then leave them behind to be seen as whores in the eyes of everyone, a burden on society, an ill omen to gaze upon, all because she does not have a man to help her raise the child. It drives me nuts."

"Getting with child without a mate is a valid reason to be marked as an invalid."

"Yes, yes," she agreed in a peculiar tone, tucking back a lock of hair when it fell across her cheek, "because men can have sex with everyone and everything, but _women_, because we bleed every month and bear the child and raise it, must be innocents and untouched saved for with one partner only. I get it, women can get pregnant and they ultimately are the ones to keep the baby, so the responsibility falls on us, but it's stupid that society is built around a woman's need to rely on a man for support. If she wants a kid then fine, let her have one I say, but don't outcast her as a slut." The _miko_ was speaking with momentum now. "The loopholes left to women are what disturb me the most though. If the newborn dies and no one knew about it then she is fine. Otherwise no man will very willingly support a woman _and_ a child he did not sire himself."

"It sounds reasonable."

The female smacked forcefully at his chest in the dark and met armor. Slowly, she took her hand back and held it as a suppressed scream whined in her throat. It took some moments, but she finally responded, voice a touch strained. "It is _sexist_."

"The female has the option of rejecting one male's offspring and starting over," he surmised, seeing the logic in it.

"No, because then she is a murderer if anyone knew she had a child and that she decided to discard it." Lifting her hand to her mouth she pressed it against her lips, whimpering ever so faintly. "Why would a man want a woman who is willing to kill her own offspring?"

Sesshōmaru exhaled through his nose, seeing one face of the issue. "You are identifying an unachievable standard."

"Yes, exactly," she agreed, almost mumbling to herself.

"For promiscuous females."

"That is beside the point," she snipped dismissively, using her bashed hand to cover another yawn. "A woman gets screwed by society if she becomes pregnant with a bastard child. Her chances of finding work are also severely limited, making her life terrible. Even my natural occupation as a _miko_ would be stripped from me if I _ever _had a child, and it is all because of the damn standards that men have established."

"Hm. _Yōkai_ are much more forgiving of such matters."

"_Yōkai_ also live for centuries and can have dozens and dozens of children if they choose," she grumbled, shifting for comfort's sake. "If society was dominated by women then it would be the men to stay home with the children." The concept was peculiar for Sesshōmaru to mull over. "Are we close yet?"

"Kyōto is not far off."

"Good," she muttered, yawning yet again. "Are there guest quarters we can go to?"

"Permanent preparations exist."

"It seems you are spoiled everywhere you go," she stated with a small laugh, taking some time to ponder something. "Your mother commented on monitoring human politics. What do you do when you visit the capital?"

"You will discover that for yourself."

"Does it have to do with politics?"

This level of intrigue made Sesshōmaru suspicious to some extent. "The _gokishichidō_ has failed since being established by the late _Inu no Taishō_ in his pioneer and province establishing days in Japan. Regular influence and adjustments are still required."

The _miko_ seemed poised to ask over that matter but her eye was finally caught by the horizon and she squinted. "Lights?"

Slowing, not wishing to be sensed by a Buddhist resident of one of the many local _tera_ structures, Sesshōmaru watched the female assess their change of pace. "Kyōto is ahead."

The _miko_ almost hung over the edge of his _yōki_ while staring, the multitudes of far off lanterns slowly penetrating the forest they flew over. "Ooh! So pretty!" As she watched they passed several river branches and small clusters of fringing residential areas, houses darkened for the night and street vendors long retired to their beds. It was not until an _inu _barked up at them from below that the female looked down and away from the light, turning around so her back received the constant gust of their flight. "Oh! We are going over some of it already. Wow, this city is big..." The wide river separating the housing sector from the main streets passed beneath them quickly. "I did not notice how fastwe are still moving... … A lot of people are asleep."

"The cost of light is too great for most, even in a city" he explained, quickly approaching their destination.

"Yes it is. Nightlife districts are up and running though, so that is neat."

"Your sympathy for human females with illegitimate offspring is well coupled with this approval for brothels."

Blue eyes widened as her face swung up to ogle in his general direction. "That is a _terrible_ misinterpretation of what I meant! There is more down there than... _those_! And the lights are everywhere, not in _akasen_."

"What do red lines have to do with prostitution?"

"... Red light district, actually. Prostitution will be isolated in the future to certain areas on the outskirts of cities, if it is not already."

"Such restrictions do not exist," he supplied, mulling the terms over. Why use the color red?

"Then be patient, it will happen unless something goes terribly wrong with fate. And not every light down there represents a whorehouse."

"What other occupations are profitable during this phase of the night, _miko_?"

A glare graced her brow before she turned it to the streets below. "Food and beverages, inns, traders, and in the summertime blacksmiths for the cooler temperatures. Plus a handful of other careers that I simply cannot think of, like maybe fishing for night favoring species or banking and record creation during the lack of business." As they approached the heart of the city the lights grew stronger, creating a hearty glow in the air around them. "Oh!" Apparently no long irked she turned her head up and grinned at him, her face lit up by iridescent paper lanterns as she secured wind blown hair behind one ear. "I saw a _Geisha_!"

The direct eye contact she initiated gave away her regained ability to see details. It also made his chest feel awkward when her smile widened, eyes checking his facial features, and he struggled momentarily with words. "If she was walking on foot then she was of low worth."

"Still," the female muttered, rolling her eyes at him and turning her attention back down to the streets. "This is so neat. I always wanted to visit a large city in this era but never could." Offering him a smile over her shoulder she crawled on the _yōki_ to stare at what was ahead. The light of the city seemed to fully compensate her vision handicaps. "Oh, there," she pointed, "someone is having a fist fight." Sesshōmaru watched as her attention latched onto the brawling humans in the middle of the street some distance ahead, their actions emphasized by a vividly lit cart vendor who happened to be yelling at the two in favor of saving his wares.

"Such displays intrigue you?"

"Hm?" She did not take her eyes away. "Yeah, sort of." Her face turned to follow the display as they passed.

Sesshōmaru was well aware of a female's innate interests in such exchanges in _inuyōkai _society, but was not certain if the same was true for humans. "Why?"

A delicate shrug was the response he got before she resumed her scan of the human establishments. "Fights are rare, I guess."

"That is the only source of your interest in them?"

Blue eyes turned his way, and after a moment a smirk played across her face. "Oh, but the winner will look _sooooooo_ _sexy_... I may just have to jump down and tackle him with demands to bear his children." A scoff escaped her as she turned her eyes away, back to the streets devoid of agitated males. "Maybe such interest exists, but more often than not I find it amazing how stupid men can be. Especially if they have no fighting technique, then such displays of disagreement are just fun to watch for sport. I was betting on the smaller man winning. He seemed to be light on his feet and waiting for a good opportunity to do something, as opposed to just flinging his fists around like the bigger guy." Ebony hair shook with exasperation. "Losers though, all of them... Either reason things out to an agreement or defeat the person in twenty heartbeats because everything else is just a waste."

"Few things fall within those restrictions."

A shrug was the response he received. "Everything else is just a show of lacking talent and an example of failure to defeat your opponent." The simplicity with which she thought was almost insulting. Still, it was a relief to know that technique and battle fineness were mandatory qualities for a male in her life. For a moment he was beginning to _completely _lose faith in the human species. "Oh! Is that the Emperor's Palace?"

"It is."

"It is so big," she breathed, seeming impressed. "Not very tall, but... expansive..." A grin was thrown his way, her attention lingering yet again. "Thank you for bringing me along."

After a moment he looked away, content. "Hm."

"_Hm_," she mimicked, looking ahead once more. "Well, I am glad to see the _shiro _before it gets burnt to the ground six times over the next three hundred and fifty years, even if it _is_ dark..."

That was an impressive number for Sesshōmaru to look forward to. Finances would have to be set aside and exploits against the Emperors devised. "Everyone will be asleep, save for some servants."

"Oh, good, then I get to join them soon." Sitting in a sloppy _seiza_, she shifted on her feet and knees, seeming antsy. As they passed over the establishment she pointed out their destination, a structure that towered three stories high with a peaked tile roof that brought it to four and a half in total. "Look at _that_! Wow, it is so _pretty_! Suspended over the water, that is just _so_ neat! I did not even know there _was_ so much water in this area, ever. I also like the rocks leading to the entrance pavilion, or the ones that I can make out in the dark. Oh, wait, is- ... Is this where we stay?"

"Yes."

"Sweet! For how long?"

"A day."

"Three," she offered, giving him a mischievous look as they descended. "And a half."

"One."

"I would settle for two..."

"You will settle for one day in isolation if you persist."

"Fine, fine," she agreed, very nonchalant while handing over his pelt and hopping off onto the pavilion below, the _kimono _box clutched to her chest with one arm. Her calm demure was betrayed by the scent of her bubbling excitement and by her tendency to look at the silhouette shapes of the surrounding structures. "In the future there will be a lot more light in cities than what you see here. Electricity, like weak lightning, that is kept under control will keep main streets illuminated. Cities get so bright at their hearts that the bellies of even the highest of clouds are illuminated by the glow below." Her narrow hand took hold of the fabric of his sleeve as she licked her lips, staring ahead into the nighttime shadow of the pavilion's covered walkway, the point at which she had stopped walking forward in favor of waiting for him. "It is very... obscure."

Her grip shifted but did not leave his sleeve this time. It left his waiting for her to grasp his arm again as she had before. Not wishing to stand there for the remainder of the night though he guided her to the building reserved for him and his kind. "Sesshōmaru, do you believe that I am from the future?"

The inquiry was soft, nearly drowned out by their footsteps. "It is plausible."

It was not until they reached the elevated porch, the _miko_ having minor difficulties with the three steps, that she offered more conversational material. "You are so blasé about that fact."

"The past half decade has established no limit to the feasible," he stated, wondering where she was going with this. It was something of a goal in his life as a future alpha to be 'blasé' about normally shocking matters, and after everything that the shattered _Shikon no Tama_ had inspired, having its breaker be from the future was hardly cause for shock or call for foul play against the limits of reality. In fact it was very appropriate and should have been expected.

"So, if you believe me," she reasoned aloud, her hold on his sleeve tightening slightly, "then why do you not pester me with questions?"

"Your answers would offer me no enlightenment." Seizing the handle, the solitary door leading inside opened with a groan, the iron hinges tormented by the lake's moist air despite the relatively fresh smell of thick oil. The establishment was tended to twice every lunar cycle, but even that regularity would not save the infrequently shifted metal.

"Do you refer to my bad explanations of concepts?"

"No." The female was becoming insecure. "It is illogical to attempt tampering with the inevitable."

"You could quirk the facts," she attempted, following as he walked inside. Her head turned to glance at the open door they walked away from, then back forward without comment. "Make them favor a certain direction where clarity does not exist."

"Is there an impending issue of great importance that you wish to bring to my attention?"

"Not exactly... It would just- I do not know... Be something else for us to maybe talk about."

Their last discussion pertaining to her proper time resulted in the girl demonstrating a wild manner of 'dance'. "You are dissatisfied with our present range of conversational topics."

"Sort of... Meiling, battles, lies and mind games, how I have to behave, why I behave differently..." With every item she listed her tone darkened, turning a shade gloomy as they made their way down the long, 'art' plagued corridors. "It was nice to go home to the village and just _talk_ to people. There is a definite difference between objective discussion and idle communication."

"Then describe it." Turning down a corridor, the _miko_ belatedly followed, briefly tugging on his sleeve before changing her direction.

"I am not sure how to..."

"Then compose your thoughts and present them later." The gracious allotment of time was met with disappointment. Upon arrival he opened the _shōji_ and verbally encouraged her to enter.

"I cannot see..."

"There is one descending step lining the room," he explained, taking her hand from his attire and resting it on the entrance's frame for her, "and the entirety of the floor consists of bedding."

"Bedding?" Grabbing the frame firmly she knelt, set down her box, and began to undo her simple _waraji_. "The entire floor?"

"Yes."

A small grin spread across her face. "Neat. They must have seen your true form once before then. How big is the room? Compared to your sleeping chamber, that is."

Undoing his gear, Sesshōmaru contemplated the area. "Half of the size."

"Oh, wow." With her second piece of footwear off she cautiously felt with her _tabi_ covered feet past the rim of the bedchamber, settling down onto her foot once it found the monstrous _futon_ and testing it with her body weight. "It _is_ a bed!"

With the final piece of his armor off and set aside Sesshōmaru focused on removing his own footwear. The _miko_ made it two steps on the padding before she lowered herself to her knees, her figure very rounded in that _kaimaki_, and grabbed the pillow her foot had bumped into. The area was positively littered with pillows and blankets of all sorts and the female soon became obsessed with finding and examining each and every one of them despite her repeatedly displayed lack of sleep.

Unwilling to see her mood pushed beyond its condition-sensitive limits, Sesshōmaru shut the _shōji_ to the _rōka_ and walked past her for the center of the room, again depositing his pelt onto her shoulders.

"... Where are you going?"

"Here," he answered, getting down onto the arrangement of bedding that was left untouched since his last visit. Of those who came to monitor the human politics Sesshōmaru was the only one to actually utilize the bedchamber. It was good to see the room unchanged, despite its complete lack of his scent. He only started using these chambers habitually when he required a restful haven away from Meiling, so being there under other circumstances was unique.

Face turning toward his voice, the _miko_ asked another question. "What are you doing?"

"Seeking sleep. I advise that you do the same."

"Oh..." The female seemed hesitant and played with his pelt, now wrapped around her torso and neck. "Um... Are there other sleeping quarters?"

"This one does not satisfy you?"

A nervous giggle was the initial response. "It is not that. Inu-Yasha has _informed_ me that I have been making odd noises in my sleep of late and-" She sat with her back to him, but he could hear the blush in her voice. "I would not want to disturb you."

"That is not a high probability."

It was amusing to watch her shift. "I may go for a walk then."

Sesshōmaru propped himself onto his elbow and watched as the female fumbled around. "Are you no longer tired?"

"I am," she conceded, getting to her feet.

"Why are you hesitant to sleep when you require rest?"

Her shrug, left for him to pick out in the dark, was not a promising initial reply. "I will not be able to find it with you in the same room."

The insult seemed completely thoughtless as she again fumbled down to her knees and with a sigh began to crawl away. Without verbal commentary he willed his pelt to himself, easily accepting the fact that it was accompanied by a startled human.

Landing next to him, the _miko _blinked up at the ceiling in a daze. "What-?" Words ceased when Sesshōmaru tucked his arm under the small of her back and bent it toward himself, curling her in against his side as a result, the _kaimaki_ covering her and half of him as well. "Um..." A hand pushed at his chest and he held her waist in place, interrupting her intentions. After a moment her fingers began to feel at what they were resting on, sliding around silk, passing over the fold of his _eri_, freezing at the nape of his neck. "Sesshōmaru, explain yourself."

"You will remain in this room tonight."

"But..." Her efforts to escape, which involved removing her arm from the sleeve over his breast, halted with a vexed sigh. "Listen, the noises are embarrassing and I would rather not find myself making them in your presence, nor anyone's presence for that matter."

"Your snoring is not too obnoxious."

The female's spine stiffened into a stone pillar of defiance. "I do _not_ snore."

"You do."

"Liar."

"Such a matter is not worthy of deceit."

The female was quiet for some time, angrily thinking to herself while her head lay pillowed on the tapering of his clavicle. It was a good position, her body flush against his and her arm at ese across his chest in a warm arc.

"Fine, I will stay in the room and sleep." Moving against his arm, starting to pull away, Sesshōmaru firmed his hold around her, blocking escape. It was an innate response, something he quickly rectified, but upon meeting the resistance the female settled against him once more, sighing again. "On the condition that you do not respond to any noises I make nor to any actions I do while unconscious."

"Hm."

"I will understand that as agreement unless you correct me," she stated, relaxing against him.

Those were the last words they exchanged before the _miko_ quieted and drifted off to sleep, a gradual process that included a lot of shifting against him. Comfort was found with a knee over his and her hair fanned out over his arm as opposed to being trapped beneath it. With her lack of movement and fall into a restful rhythm Sesshōmaru settled as well, a pent up sense of unease wearing away while listening to and feeling the female laying with him. Smoothing his hand once in the dip of her hip, he closed his eyes and found sleep... to be extraordinarily evasive.

Body relaxed and resting, Sesshōmaru's thoughts simply refused to cease. This was not unexpected considering he had slept quite recently, but the inability to put his mind at ease disturbed him greatly. There was the future to think about, plans to create and see fulfilled, alternative routes of achievement to be discovered... This was all very worrisome, all dependent on him and able to rip him clean of all titles and rights, and yet all of those concerns decided to politely wait for him to be in the mood to care, muttering darkly in the back of his head.

As the night aged the _miko _began to shift slightly against him, fingers flexing over his chest with growing frequency. Normally she was very still once she slipped away for a night. Her sun tinted cheek slid along the silk covering his chest as she made a small hum, moving her leg over his quite a bit for not changing her sleeping position. Staring at the ceiling, feeling her against him, smelling her strong sleeping scent... His obligations could wait one night.

Time passed and Sesshōmaru found his internal unrest to be more and more demanding of his attention as the _miko_'s actions became redundant. Perhaps he should have left the female behind in favor of visiting the Emperor alone. The thought had his fingers curling in around the curve of her hip. To be honest with himself he had desired such a night after their temporary separation. Why she bothered him so much, enough to make him distracted during discussions of great importance, enough to lead _several_ influential others to assume having competition with Meiling for Sesshōmaru's attention span, still evaded him. Curiosity was too weak an excuse, and the need for an excuse was too strong a fact. Instincts were not to blame since her body was not that of an _inuyōkai_ and thus could not produce such triggers, and her being a convenience was implausible, particularly when he had reacted to her so strongly after being with Meiling.

That last encounter with Meiling had disturbed him, a leading reason for his agreement to leave the _o-shiro_ in the first place. He had already resolved most of his internal conflict with what he had done to that female – things that she could and should have had him temporarily banished for – while viewing his small private garden on the _engawa_. He had taken her in a violent manner, barely restrained and far from acceptable. It was the second time he had ever sealed her from her _yōki_, the first having been a brief and curious act when she was still new to him, and feeling her feeble attempts to rebel on the second occasion had merely encouraged him to restrain her further. He had left her with no ability to escape him and no means of refusing his attentions. The worse part was his stealing her ability to heal the damage he inflicted, making her wait until he was satiated, not caring about her barely suppressed screams. It was remarkable that she was able to offer him a weak, reassuring smile once he was done, braced over her trapped body as he held her hands over her head, holding her shoulder with his teeth and keeping her hips in place with is claws for his personal benefit. The scent of fear had been strong in the room, but as he calmed her smile became more genuine. He released her _yōki _by completely disengaging his own, allowing her to heal herself, and then felt incredibly weak, exhausted even. It was while he stared idly, thoughtlessly, at the lobe of Meiling's ear, his breathing labored and mind cycling uselessly around nothing, that narrow hands slid up around his torso and the thighs around his hips offered a hug before opening further. He had not resisted when she gently pulled him down to her chest, still underdeveloped with never needing to and never having produced milk for a pup.

"This is good," she had said as they rested together, perhaps reassuring both of them. The feel of claws running through his hair along his scalp had him blinking his eyes open and beginning to come to through the haze in his head. "Remember this and my acceptance of you, love."

That was when he finally pulled away from her, using his _yōki_ to recover what he could before seeing a little smile appearance on her face. She then began to touch her neck and look into the distance through the ceiling as he quickly got dressed, adopting a more serious, tired, and even thoughtful appearance.

"_You made love like a male in heat-lust."_

Pulling out of his thoughts a little, Sesshōmaru lifted his free hand to his face, covering his eyes a moment before rubbing the heel of his palm against one. Those words haunted him. What would he do if Meiling went into heat for him? How would he react? He knew through discussions about heat-lust, heard stories as a pup and dealt with outbreaks in the soldier barracks, but was it as terrible as it seemed?

"Stop growling," the _miko_ scolded in a sleeping mumble, shattering the silence and jarring his thoughts. She shifted against him again, her hand reaching around his chest to hold him before sighing and slipping away once again, drawing his thoughts to her presence. Being an alluring comfort was decent compensation for who and what she was in this situation. _His_ situation...

Turning his head, Sesshōmaru lightly burrowed his nose into her hair. It still smelled of herbs, but the scent of her village was almost nonexistent after the later portion of their flight. The strongest scent to come through to him was hers, a rich and enticing odor that held promises. She was healthy, in her prime, content to be with him and secure in her safety while in his arms. The width of her hips was a very good sign, the size of her breasts obvious signals of being able to provide for several offspring, and he fancied her appearance. It was amazing how that female who hoped to mate with him as a beta believed that his choosing the _miko_ complimented her own appearance. Blue eyes and dark hair were their only similarities. The vanity of _inuyōkai_ females was grotesquely oversized.

Smelling the _miko_ and enjoying her proximity aroused him. The night was finishing, the sun already tinting the sky by now, but he remained where he was and weathered through his body's natural responses to her. When the sun was twice its height above the ocean, the light of it tinting the _shōji_ doors, the female moved against him in her sleep, adjusting herself and pulling him out of a deep yet conscious rest. The leg over his tucked upward, brushing against him and quickly causing another phase of bodily interest, and he shifted his hips, angling himself away from the reach of her somewhat active limbs.

A groan of protest was the direct result of his actions and her hand slid down his side to his waist, cupping it securely before nuzzling into him. Keeping his own eyes closed he ran his hand to the dip of her side, enjoying himself and even groaning with stirring want before stopping and clenching his teeth, willing himself to stop. The desire to lull her into intimate acts was strong, his instincts denying the past experiences and assuring him of her inevitable acceptance. The _hiyōkai_'s parting words did make sense though, so despite the fact that the _miko_ was draped over and against his body he resisted wooing her for more attention.

"_Prey runs when pursued. A charmed female comes when beckoned. Use your brain, not your body." _ This tidbit of advice had been followed by a plea for progress in romancing the little female and several brief explanations of certain 'positions' that humans seemed to be rather fond of.

This advice was very difficult to keep in mind when the _miko_ was doing her best to call out his primal side. As opposed to relaxing once she held him secured against her the female rubbed her groin against his hip once, moaning with satisfaction, _then_ she stilled.

Damn her denials. _Damn_ Hisa's warnings. **Damn** his necessity of the _miko_'s cooperation. This was an immeasurable injustice. By nature's rule he was perfectly within his rights to mate this female if he could better her and any competition in combat. From their ridiculous position, rolling her onto her back with his body would have her laying with upraised arms and with him already settled between her legs. In fact the female was so thoroughly wrapped around him that if she were conscious he would take it as undeniable invitation to get her with pup.

A groan announced her rousing and her hand gripped his side lightly. "No growling..."

"Wake up."

A slight squirm and tired exhale was the initial response. "Hmm...?"

It simply was not fair. Sitting up, he allowed the _miko_ to roll off of him and onto the bedding, taking his pelt with her as the _kaimaki _folded around its wearer, then lifted his knee to rid himself of her leg. "Wake up."

"_Kami_, **no**," she whimpered, rolling onto her side and curling in around his fur under the padded _kimono_. "Ten more minutes..."

"_Miko_."

"So many nights," she practically sobbed. "Such shitty _sleep_...!"

Taking her shoulder into hand, Sesshōmaru rolled her toward him, onto her back, and her somewhat swollen eyes blinked blearily into the darkness. She looked absolutely miserable.

"What do you want?"

Many things. More than he was willing to list. "Make your decision."

"... What?" Frowning, she closed her eyes and rubbed her fingertips into them, inhaling with some strain to express her displeasure and weariness as her legs stretched. "What're you talking about?"

Her slip was merciful. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers, feeling her for the brief moment of her lagging reaction, recalling when she used to respond to him with dishonest approval. Not wishing to give her the option of pulling away he did so first, leaving her to lay with hands near her face and stare perplexed toward the heavens. "The decision we left the _o-shiro_ for you to make."

Surprise eased out of her eyes to make way for a flat expression. "You woke me up at the ass crack of dawn for _that_?"

"Yes."

"Even though we are not leaving for the _o-shiro_ until tonight?"

Silent, he watched as she brought his pelt to her face and momentarily feared that she would bite. Instead she pressed the mass to her nose and uttered a muffled shriek, pinching her knees together and rubbing her _tabi _covered heels against the bedding. When that was finished she lowered the pelt, her hair a slight mess, and thought for a moment. "One option is death, the other option is belated death. Right?"

"That depends."

"Well, I choose then a lack of sudden death."

It was not enough. "Do you accept me as your intended?"

In the middle of a yawn she nodded the affirmative, then wiped away tears.

"_Miko_."

"Yes, yes, I do," she stated, closing her eyes and relaxing, wanting to sleep.

"Use a full sentence."

"Uuuuugh...!" Hiding momentarily under his fur, she pulled it away and addressed the ceiling, her arms crossed to keep the _kaimaki _close around herself. "I, Higurashi Kagome, time traveling _miko _and unfortunate plaything of fate, do hereby accept Sesshōmaru _Denka_, future Lord of the Western Lands of Japan and present pain in my ass, as my intended as a direct result of my anger driven **stupidity**. There, are you happy?"

He was illogically pleased.

"So, now what?"

"For the rest of the morning, nothing of pressing importance."

"Serious? Why did you wake me up?"

"You are easier to manage while in such a state."

"You suck. What will happen tonight?"

Tonight. By tonight he would need a very solid plan to rely on. "Upon our return I will express my acceptance of your claim on me."

"Oh..." Seeming a touch depressed, the female sighed while looking around at the faint highlights in the room. "I am sorry about this. For forcing your hand."

"Do not apologize."

"But everything is going to wind up flopping onto its face because of me."

"This is my predicament, _miko_. It is not your place to claim responsibility for what happens."

"Then I apologize for making things more difficult than need be."

If she insisted on apologizing then there was nothing he could do about the fact. "Hn."

"I have... a question."

"Then ask it."

His intended fidgeted slightly where she lay. "_Would_ you have killed me?"

Blinking, Sesshōmaru thought over that scenario. It had never occurred to him that he could be cornered into murder. Her acceptance had been merely a matter of time. So why did she ask such a thing? "Do you believe that I would have committed such an act when prompted?"

"Um..." Fiddling with her fingers, she took a few moments to organize her thoughts. "I know you would refuse a direct order like that, and I would like to say and believe that you would not fulfill such an act, however... your history and ease with dispatching people to the afterlife speaks against that." Another uncomfortable shift. "You are not weak, I _definitely _know that, but... I would like to think that I am not on your list of people you are willing to slaughter."

Speaking over this topic was making her nervous, her antsy body language liberated by her lack of vision and the padded coverage of the _kaimaki_. Reassurance was required. "I accept your claim on me." No response. "That should be enough."

Blue eyes fixated on nothing, she nodded her acceptance and curled onto her side once more. Perhaps her mood would improve with sleep.

In the meantime Sesshōmaru was more than ready and able to make an emperor grovel on its knees. Standing, he went toward the _shōji_ to reclaim his armor and swords, taking his time and watching as the _miko_ began to click her thumbnail around her upper teeth.

"Sesshōmaru."

Pausing in the open _shōji_ he waited, recalling a similar and seemingly long gone event.

"... Thank you. For everything."

The lack of detail intrigued him. Instead of inquiring he stepped into the _rōka_, closed the entrance to the bedchamber, and took his leave in favor of allowing his female to sleep.

* * *

><p>"<em>Four,"<em> Kagome thought to herself, curling up around the pelt, loving the air trapped in her body blanket garment and the fur Sesshōmaru allowed her to hold on to._ "Four full nights of terrible, awful sleep."_ Wiping away more yawn induced tears she entertained the notion that they were a result of her body's innate sadness and not just the response to being awake when she shouldn't be. In mere minutes she fell back to sleep comfortably and made a point of not waking up until midday.

By the time she opened her eyes again it was to feel truly haggard.

"_Just one night,"_ she whimpered to herself, crawling around the faintly highlighted bedding for the _shōji_. _"Just one full night of rest and I could __**die**__ happy."_

Climbing to her feet she reached for the doors, the back of her other hand rubbing at her eyes, and for some reason the rice paper paneling slid opened to reveal unfamiliar, deep purple _hakama_, up which her gaze traveled to reveal silvery armor, a sword, a pristine pelt, and finally a strong, mature and dignified older face that stared curiously down at her.

"Um... Hi?"

"Hello."

Blinking up at the male, still bent awkwardly at the waist, her brain slowly began to jerk itself into gear. "Can I help you?"

As the older appearing _inuyōkai_ grinned down at her she could swear that the end of his pelt began to wag.

* * *

><p>"Sesshōmaru<em>-sama<em>!" The sound ground its way down Sesshōmaru's spine. "Where _**are**_ you! Sesshōōōmaru-_samaaa_!" The imp ran past where Sesshōmaru stood reading into the most recent human records so as to properly test the Emperor later. After a few moments the weak _yōkai_ tottered back, panting and leaning on the Nintōjō he carried everywhere. "Sesshōmaru-_sama_! How wonderful it is to see you again! I-!"

"Silence."

Permanently wide yellow eyes flickered with amazement. "But-!"

"_Jaken_."

The imp fell silent, holding the staff with both hands while staring up at Sesshōmaru. The squat squawker was incessantly annoying ever since Meiling entered Sesshōmaru's life, yet Sheng seemed to have a solid understanding and sympathy for the small _yōkai_, as well as a stronger tolerance for aggravation than what he even had for _sake_. Upon overhearing Sesshōmaru's dismissal of Jaken's services the elder took the distraught creature in as a scholarly assistant of sorts, keeping him around to always irritate Sesshōmaru on another day. Even when silent Jaken proved to be annoying with his fidgeting; tapping fingers around the Nintōjō and shifting feet where he stood, large eyes pleading silently. How the imp had managed to find Sesshōmaru was intriguing. Actually, it was a peculiarity that the little _yōkai_ had left Sheng's side, seeing as Jaken would never be able to sense Sesshōmaru alone, so why he came running in search for Sesshōmaru before Sheng offered an official greeting was questionable.

Immediately overlooking the scroll in hand Sesshōmaru addressed Jaken and did his best to keep the suspicious urgency from his voice. _"_Where is Sheng?"

The minute _yōkai_'s whole frame sagged with relief. "Thank you, Sesshōmaru-_sama_! Sheng-_sama_ left in a terrible hurry, demanding that I find you here and pursue an extensive conversation. It was a very peculiar order, now that I think on it."

That did not bode well. Upon catching the sound of a faint and distant scream Sesshōmaru dropped the scroll he held and disappeared for where the _miko_ had slept.

"No! Stop it! YEEEP! **BAD** DOG!"

As Sesshōmaru entered the _rōka_ to the bedchamber it was to see the _miko_, halfway undressed and appearing quite disheveled, thrust herself into the opened _shōji_ while facing the bedchamber, acting as a breathless barricade.

"**Drop** it," she heaved, failing miserably at a threatening display, "and I will only singe your tail, you audacious mutt!"

Sighing, Sesshōmaru attempted to disengage the inexperienced female from the situation. "_Miko_, desist."

Attention snapping to him, his intended blinked in surprise. "Sesshōmaru?" The distraction was taken full advantage of, an _inu _of manageable size barreling out of the room under the arch of her legs and taking off down the hall, large portions of white and red fabric clenched in his mouth as his nails scraped frantically against the wooden floor for momentum. "Hey!" The _miko_ took off after her clothing, her footsteps odd as she wore only one _tabi _on her feet. "Come _back_ here!"

The entirety of the display was utterly ridiculous. Standing there, listening to and sometimes watching the two scamper through the corridors, Sesshōmaru could not decide whether to make the _miko_ learn the hard way or to cut the old mongrel's fun short. As Sheng reentered the corridor, running with a huge smile on his face and his tail arced up in the air, Sesshōmaru stepped out of the way and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. One of them was bound to eventually grow tired of this. As the _inu_ exited for an adjacent _rōka_, completing one lap past the bedchamber as the last bit of red fabric disappeared around the corner, the _miko_ entered the hall and jogged up to Sesshōmaru, her face slightly flushed and her breathing mildly labored.

"Which way did it go?" Sesshōmaru pointed down to the right at the end of the hall without undoing his crossed arms and she offered him an incredulous look in return. "You can at least _help_!"

"I have already freely given my assistance."

The female's jaw dropped open as her brow furrowed with accusation but before anything could come out of her luscious little mouth Sheng came galloping down the other end of the corridor on lap number two. As she swung around to face him the older _inuyōkai_ stopped, momentum sliding the clothing ahead of him, and he proceeded to tease the _miko_ by getting onto his elbows and lowering his head, wagging his tail high in the air on top of straight hind legs.

"Hey!" In response to her yip Sheng minutely jerked in his position, forelegs spreading out, body and head getting even lower as his tail thrashed with child's-play delight. "I know you can understand me, now **drop it**!" The male bit at her clothing, grinning defiantly and growling. The sound was very unimpressive when coming from the size he assumed to adapt to the corridor, though now the mongrel had grown to be rather large compared to earlier; his head was level with the _miko_'s when they both stood. "**Stop** that!" Sesshōmaru watched how the female's back stiffened when Sheng dropped down onto his belly, crossed his front paws to secure the clothing between them, and began to wrench at the fabric as though it were a dried animal hide. The female lurched forward and actually managed to grab two handfuls of her tormented attire. "Gotcha!"

That was a very big mistake for such a small human to make. Sesshōmaru watched placidly as his intended went shrieking down the corridor, being dragged quite quickly as Sheng took off yet again, unimpeded by her weight. Shortly after the male had lurched into motion they disappeared down the _rōka_,leaving Sesshōmaru to wait for the inevitable to happen. Within moments the entirety of the nearby area was swallowed by the _miko_'s _ki_, the essence strong enough to even give Sesshōmaru some greater desire for personal space.

"_**SIT**_** BOY!**"

The floor quaked and the yelp that Sheng released was of splendid pain, leading Sesshōmaru to suspect a broken spine or hip if not both. Not willing to miss out on such a sight he soon found the pair collapsed on the ground, both panting. Somewhat disappointed with the unimpeded health to be found, Sesshōmaru stepped closer to acknowledge the _inuyōkai_, who groaned and rolled over to lay on his back, grinning at the ceiling in his humanoid form. Residual buffer _yōki_ resonated from the male, a technique that saved the vast majority of the his skin and hair but likely left him drained.

"You have yourself one hell of a female, Sesshōmaru _Denka_," the male 'complimented', laughing and getting up onto his elbows. "I have not run like that since I had young pups around."

"And you never will again," the _miko_ seethed, picking her face off of her splayed clothing to glare death at the old _inuyōkai_. Sheng's eyes widened more with incredulity than fear as she quickly crawled over her fabrics and then him to straddle his waist. Of all the pathetic responses available the _inuyōkai _merely lifted his forearms so that they could take the pitiful repeated bashings of her open hands as opposed to his face. "Do you have _any _idea how expensive that clothing is where I come from? How _dare_ you use it as a chew toy! How _dare_ you sweep this place with them! And how _**dare**_ you undress me like that! I should **skin** you!" That comment made Sesshōmaru smirk with memories of rabbits hopping through his head. It apparently humored Sheng as well. "**Stop** laughing!"

"My sincerest apologies," the fallen male offered, still shaking with mirth while taking her weak attacks in stride. The young human growled with annoyance and smacked at him some more. Before her threats could escalate Sheng was standing and holding her clasped to his chest in an embrace, making the _miko_'s eyes bulge slightly. "We must run together again, my dear." Setting the distraught female back down, holding her upper arms as her balance stabilized, he bent to meet frowning blue eyes with a nigh permanent grin that wrinkled at his face, his pelt wagging in place of his tail. "I _must_ know your name, young one."

"Go chew sand for an hour," she growled out, wriggling uselessly against his grasp.

"That is a very unique name." The female's present lack of appreciation for his humor was evident. "I seem to have left a bad impression," Sheng finally figured out as she kicked stubbornly at his shin. Releasing her, he quickly gathered her clothing and deposited it in her arms. "My apologies. I shall seek you out later for proper introductions." As she clamped her clothing over her chest, a frightened and violated look on her face, the male flashed his fangs in a grin. "I will be formal." Bowing to Sesshōmaru in greeting, the elder then set his hand atop the female's head and rubbed her brow with his thumb, a respectful gesture toward young females of status, before departing in an instant, leaving her standing half dressed in the corridor and fuming.

"Why that _cocky_...!" Taking a quick swipe at her brow with the back of her hand her sharp blue eyes soon landed on Sesshōmaru, hardening. "What are _you_ looking at?"

"A disgruntled _miko_ who allowed herself to become a victim."

The honest answer was not well received. With a pointed glare and a flare of _ki_ the female defiantly tilted her nose into the air before marching away for the bedchamber, red _hakama_ straps dragging after.

Now thoroughly entertained, he watched her hair sway at the small of her back before the _shōji_ slid shut, leaving him in the _rōka_. After a moment's consideration he slid the rice paper door open and was greeted by a suspicious glare, his intended still in the act of donning the _hakui_. Meeting her stare, Sesshōmaru willed his pelt to his shoulder from the padded floor, the fur molding to the side of his body, and watched as the _miko_'s attention shifted and her expression calmed. "Finish dressing. We shall now see the Emperor."

"Really?"

Closing the _shōji_, Sesshōmaru made his way to the end of the corridor and waited. When the doors opened again it was to emit a delighted _miko_ who hurried over with a grin on her face and her _hakama_ _himo_ in hand, still being tied into a proper knot.

"Really-really?"

At his nod her face lit up and she fully revealed most of her well maintained teeth. Walking down the _rōka_, his intended soon caught up to walk at his side.

"That makes up for that darn _inu_ from earlier. Do you know that guy?"

"He is commonly referred to as Sheng."

"Sheng," she repeated, tone dropping into thought. "I've heard- Oh! Hisa mentioned him! … I know why you find him disagreeable..."

"I assure you that you do not."

"How many centuries have you put up with him?"

"Seven."

"... Oh. … So, he knew your dad?"

"Very well."

"Are you related to Sheng?"

"Barely."

The female huffed a small laugh. "I bet he was a troublemaker."

"That trait appeared late in his life." Very late.

"Really? Huh..." They walked in relative silence, the female making appropriate insults toward the gaudiness decorating the corridors now and then until exiting the building, at which point she shaded her eyes and slowed her step. "**Wow** I overslept." Her breath misted in the crisp and cool late morning air, something she noted with a sigh. "Ah, winter. Oh, hey, those rocks in the water. They're not close together at _all_!"

"The wood planks required to access this structure are kept under guard," Sesshōmaru explained.

"Oh, yes, the _kami_ forbid that a fraction of all of that gold and gilding go missing..." Her sarcasm interrupted the calm of their surroundings, their path taking them between red pillars supporting the walkway roof overhead, all suspended over green tinted water and vivid foliage. "I can hardly believe how much detail they threw into that place. It is more seen to than the rest of the _shiro_, which actually looks sort of drab in comparison... It is _cold _out! I should have grabbed the _kaimaki_..."

"The interior of the _shiro_ is heated," Sesshōmaru stated as they stepped down onto the hexagon platform reserved for the landings of flying _yōkai_. Reaching across the female's back, he bent and gathered her into his arms while still walking for the edge.

"Um, bridal style, eh?" He did not know what that meant. "No _yōki _flight?"

"The distance is too short to bother." Leaping from the platform, Sesshōmaru touched down on one of the large stones in the water and jumped for the next, enjoying how her arms slid up around his neck for security. Stopping of the fifth leap, standing stable on the main _shiro_'s platform, he attempted to lower the _miko_ to her feet. Resistance was her initial response, but she quickly acknowledged being put down and stood, needlessly rearranging her garments.

"So are we going to see the Emperor?"

"Yes."

"Am I presentable?"

Briefly, he looked her over before walking for the entrance to the _shiro_. "Your appearance is sufficient."

"What?" The _miko_ jogged to catch up, patting at her hair. "What do you mean by that? Do I look bad? I just rolled out of bed, chased a dog, hopped around on stones... Is something amiss about me?"

"You appear fine."

"Then why did you say that I was 'sufficient'?"

"Is sufficient not good enough?"

"Certainly not!" Annoyed, she brushed back her hair with her fingers and soon gave up. "I am going to see the Emperor. To think that I am doing so in my _miko_ garb..."

"You are dressed in accordance to your profession. No one would expect differently of a _miko_."

"Yeah, well... My hair is not pulled back. Like this I look like a _jokin_, which I guess I sort of _am_ considering the fact that I am still learning, but..." Making a pouting face she set the matter aside. "I suppose it does not matter, though they may wonder why an _inugami daiyōkai_ would bother with letting an apprentice _miko_ tag along."

"Their curiosity is none of my concern."

As they walked toward more populated areas the _miko_ noticed the way servants kept their eyes lowered, bowing with acknowledgment in their direction but quickly moving on without ever seeing their faces. After a while it made her obviously uncomfortable. "They seem to love our footwear..."

"They would startle knowing that a _yōkai_ walked in their midst."

"Do they behave this way throughout the _shiro_?"

"No. This area is specially designated. Only a handful of the best trained of the servants are permitted to access these quarters."

"Oh..." This saddened her a little. "Are they trained to avert their eyes just for the chance of seeing _yōkai_?"

"They will do so for anyone they encounter here, including other servants."

"That is odd..."

"That is how they are trained."

She seemed to feel bad for them. " It is like they are not allowed to even live while they work. Wafting between tasks like mourning spirits. I can see the reasoning behind it, but still..." Her words died on the air when a _yōkai_ passed them, head lowered and directing a bow their way before calmly continuing. "... That was a humanoid."

"Hn."

"I did not think that _obake_ would stay in a human's residence."

"Transformation is an advantage to not be ignored."

"I have never seen one look so human. Even _you_ do not look that ordinary and you are the strongest _obake _I have ever known."

"Strength does not determine the quality of an alternate appearance."

"Still," she protested, glancing back over her shoulder. "What species of _yōkai_ are they?"

"_Mujinayōkai_."

"Really? I wish I could have seen some more natural traits. Do they look like _tanuki_?"

"Humans are absurdly talented in regards to confusing _mujina_ and _tanuki_."

"Badgers do not look like raccoon dogs," she conceded, walking placidly at his side. "They merely have a couple of similar characteristics, ones I was hoping to be able to identify through knowing a _tanukiyōkai _named Hachi. Most humans are just excessively ignorant."

"Agreed."

When Sesshōmaru came to a stop in the _rōka_, some few paces away from an intersecting corridor, the female did as well and frowned, looking between him and the empty hall ahead. "Why did we stop?" The next moment a young boy came walking out of the adjacent hall, fiddling with a small carving while remaining light on his feet.

"Tomohito."

The _miko _flinched along with the child when Sesshōmaru spoke, a light of recognition sparking into her eyes. She remained quiet and watched as the youth, dressed up fit for a ceremony, hastily jerked his way into a bow of great respect. "Greetings, _Dai Tennō_."

The _miko _looked up at Sesshōmaru through her lashes and mouthed 'Almighty Majesty?' while giving him a somewhat amused smirk. He returned the glance without moving his head and offered a small roll of his shoulder. It was not a title he had assigned for himself. The gesture made her laugh lightly, which caught the boy's attention as he lifted out of the bow.

"We have not met," the child stated, giving her a once-over and bowing yet again, this time not as respectful but still enough to flatter her into a faint blush. "My name is Tomohito."

The _miko_ allowed the corners of her lips to lift and she nodded her head to the boy. "You may call me Kagome. It is a pleasure to meet you, Tomohito _Denka_."

The child offered her a cheeky little grin, one that Sesshōmaru quickly eradicated. "Fetch your sire."

"Yes, _Dai Tennō_." With another bow to each of them the lad ran away, comfortably reduced to a messenger by the _daiyōkai_.

Keeping her voice very low, the female whispered to Sesshōmaru while watching the youth leave. "That is the future Emperor Go-Nara."

"He is," Sesshōmaru agreed, continuing on his way. The child was well cultured to take the place of his sire, and his exposure to Sesshōmaru would assure a lack of persistent issues in the future. Tomohito was one of the reasons that Sesshōmaru frequented the Emperor's _shiro_, to make the youth accustomed to his future position.

"Where are the other children?"

"The Emperor's young are _typically_ well managed."

"I take it then that you run into Tomohito often?"

"He has a tendency to wander from supervision."

She hummed with a smile. "He will live a long life."

"Hm."

Continuing down the _rōka_, they traversed the corridors until reaching a set of _fusuma_, which Sesshōmaru opened before ushering the _miko_ into the room and closing them inside. The vague odor of disuse was easy to pick out from the air, Sheng's and the Emperor's scents also present but weak from days of aging.

"This room smells... earthy."

The comment had Sesshōmaru glancing over at his companion, who slowly looked around the small yet distinguished meeting chamber with barely restrained interest. Several three-panel screens, painted and threaded with gold, stood defining a central walkway toward a raised platform at the end of the minute room.

"Does this place have only one entrance?"

"Yes."

"Weird." The female followed when Sesshōmaru walked for the platform, her attention locking to the rug covered destination. "Oh... Um, the Emperor?"

The question was a prompt, one that Sesshōmaru sidestepped. "He will arrive shortly." Reaching under the bow of his sash he pulled a knot of his _kusazuri_ loose, allowing his armor to fall into the five segments each length was composed of. Along with the metal dropped the _miko_'s lower jaw as her eyebrows escalated.

Sesshōmaru stood there motionless and watched her, waiting for the next response. Blue eyes lifted from the segmented armor to his face, lips resealed, and she looked away, a small blush tinting her cheeks. "Huh..." With that said he took a seat on the large awaiting cushion, his armor bending around him in an agreeable fashion. "You have sat down before without needing to do that..."

"_Yōki_ does not restrain my armor," he explained. And it did not. A hard floor though required toleration of the armor's shortcomings for a period of time. The backside had a specialization for leaning against or even sitting on the edge between two different heights, such as the edge of an _engawa_, but that was something to keep his spine intact should a foe knock him completely off of his feet. Being on the floor for any amount of time longer than 'brief' required that he he undo the seemingly seamless armor for the sake of comfort. "Sit."

The female obeyed, taking up one of the two small cushions kept behind the platform. They were stored there for accommodating any officials to accompany the observation the Emperor's sniveling, but the only company to ever be seen was Jaken and he was far too short to tolerate sitting for such an occasion.

"Which side?"

Sesshōmaru found this female's presence far more enjoyable than the imp's. Perhaps this would not be the last time that she joined him for such a spectacle. "My right."

The cushion was flopped down. Disappointed, Sesshōmaru pinched the edge and pulled it closer to the front of the small stage, bringing it in line with his.

"Oh, I thought that I should sit a little behind you...?"

"That is not where an intended sits."

The _miko_ fidgeted for a moment, still standing. "Sesshōmaru, it is only the Emperor, we-"

"Do not argue with me," he scolded lightly. "Sit."

With an exhale she obeyed, getting comfortable next to him, and placed her hands in her lap, seeming extremely nervous. On one of her calming breaths the Emperor entered the room, the door being opened and closed by a servant outside. Once it was fully shut the human bowed at the waist, shuffled a few paces forward, then bowed again, not meeting their eyes.

"Oh, great _kami_, no," the female whimpered, barely audible.

Glancing over revealed wide blue eyes staring in horror at the slowly approaching human male, the _miko_ becoming asphyxiated by the sight she beheld. When Sesshōmaru could hear her heart beating from where he sat her well-being became a concern. Unable to stir his _yōki_ without summoning the _yōkai_ servants he instead settled for briefly resting his hand on her thigh. The heartbeat stopped temporarily as the rest of her gave a flinch, those vivid eyes darting down to lock onto their point of contact. Snapped out of her trance of horror, he took his hand away, still calmly watching the human's display of deference, but before his touch completely left her _hakama_ her narrow fingers ensnared his, wrapping around the back of his palm and squeezing lightly. The female kept her attention on her knees when he glanced over. Her scent was beginning to calm, though still nervous, and there was something else that began to stir to life and grow stronger, something that he could not exactly identify. When the Emperor was three quarters of the way to them Sesshōmaru settled his hand on her thigh again, not minding the feel of her holding him in place, and waited for the shuffles to end and make way for true groveling.

"Greetings, _Dai Tennō_. May the _kami_ forever bless you."

The _miko_ gave his hand another small squeeze, her thumb rubbing methodical little circles over his first knuckle. She seemed anxious, but there was an air of expectancy about her. "Give your report."

The Emperor wasted no time with arguing the fact that Sheng had recently asked for the same thing. As the human spewed details on trade, taxes, relations with the noble class, stock of crops and food reserves, and several other points of interest, the _miko_ relaxed, possibly assured by the fact that the Emperor never looked at them. Sesshōmaru would have expected that her calm would have stilled her attentions to his hand, but they merely slowed and relocated. When her fingers began to brush small spirals on his palm he turned his head toward her. That had her blinking, blushing, and she took her hands away from his, acting somewhat bashful. Intrigued, Sesshōmaru pondered over what the _miko _was thinking and looked back to the human male, perfectly content to leave his hand precisely where it was on the female.

As the reports were correctly recited Sesshōmaru began to ignore the Emperor in favor of non-visually assessing what his intended was doing. Her reaction to his hand was entertaining in and of itself, with her sporadic glances, shifting where she sat, and general thought-induced twitches, but when she began to grow accustomed to its presence he had to make things interesting once again. A short slide toward the knee resulted in a startle on her part, a slight squeeze made her shift uncomfortably, and when he drummed his fingers lightly in place he might as well have been gently tickling her for the positive reaction she gave. Such responses were encouraging, particularly when she attempted to remove his hand by the wrist with a poorly hidden smile quirking the corners of her mouth. He amused her efforts by allowing her to slide his hold down to her knee, then squeezed again. At her yip, cut off halfway out of her throat, the Emperor momentarily paused in his speech and listened before continuing. The _miko_ positively shook with silent laughter and fell in against Sesshōmaru's arm, one hand over her mouth and the other spread over his where it rested, still poised on her upper knee.

"Not fair," she managed, her low pitched voice not disturbing the Emperor. "Which inspires it? Boredom, wanting to torment, or the convenience that I cannot speak out against this with a witness?"

Smirking, now giving the Emperor's report only one part of one ear, Sesshōmaru looked over and bent his head, nuzzling to the female's temple and toward her ear. Leaning away, her eyes were bright while crinkling with glee, a grin pressing up into her flushed cheeks. The sight of her enjoyment pleased him, their interaction incurring his own mirth. When she began to shift, breaking away, he reached without hesitation and halted her halfhearted retreat with a hand pressed to the small of her back. Her vivid cerulean gaze shot down toward his arm, smile widening as her brows furrowed with incredulity, and then returned to his face, her blush a rich and deep hue. There was a testing nature to her expression, as though wondering where this was going, and that unique twist to her scent began to grow yet again. The display she offered excited him.

Emboldened, he drew her closer as she began to wriggle out of his hold, bringing her so close that her knees parted around his side. Before she got too close he stopped, recalling Hisa's warning, knowing that his perception of body language differed from this female's. As it was her smile waned and gave way to a dull, slightly guarded expression as he stared at her, wanting to experience more and the babbling fool be damned. The female's heart began to quicken once more as they watched one another, her pupils wide in the shaded room, the hand over the bulge of his upper arm tightening its hold ever so slyly.

It was then that Sesshōmaru noted the silence. It seemed that the Emperor was finished with his report, waiting in his permanent bow for the next phase. The female seemed surprised when Sesshōmaru spoke without breaking eye contact with her. "You have forgotten the _samurai_ class."

The Emperor immediately began to verbally flounder over facts and incidents, allowing Sesshōmaru to once more forget the human's existence. Sliding his hand from the female's back to her side he then waited a moment, allowing her time to back away. The only reaction she gave was a slightly deeper inhale, so he smoothed his palm up her side, avoided her sensitive chest, and brushed the backs of his fingers to her cheek. She blinked, her expression softening, lips parting as she stared. Easing closer, intent on more yet keeping her receptiveness in mind, he felt the side of her neck where little marks of his past attentions remained, watched as she gave a closed eyed half-shudder before calming. When her gaze focused on him again it was to stare at his mouth, a small blush heating her cheeks. Coming closer, their noses almost touching, he felt her breath hit his lips and hesitated, feeling that shudder come from her again. He did not know what this meant. Her behavior seemed intimidated, yet her scent was... warm, and open. It seemed to enfold him in an intimate embrace, something he had not experienced before. It was very nice.

Lips pressed up to his, an infinitesimally small whimper escaping his intended. Instincts triggered, demanding exercise and appreciation, telling him what this meant. As difficult as it was he pushed them aside, clearing his head as her kiss began to fade in intimacy and she mentally floundered at his lack of participation. How excessively impolite of him. When she stopped, giving a little grunt of uncertainty, he bent and returned her attentions, sliding his hand to the back of her neck and rubbing his fingers along her hairline. That small whimper reappeared, sounding more like a quiet moan this time, and it filled him with the desire to see her naked body and to feel it against him. He craved her acceptance and idly wondered what he would do if she pulled away; or worse, what he would do if she did not. The chance of this being a spontaneous and halfhearted act on her part was very great, especially since she had so aggressively denied him at the _o-shiro_.

Narrow fingers found the base of his throat and slid up a taunt tendon in his neck toward his ear. In this position he could only comfortably use one hand with her, but that may be for the better. As she felt his ear, something he took great comfort in, her second hand flexed on the meat of his shoulder once more, feeling his muscle with approval and enjoyment, making him suppress an aroused groan. Their kissing continued in that fashion, with him content to brace her neck as her hands traveled his shoulders, arm, hair, and face. It was very satisfying.

It could not last though. Eventually the Emperor quieted again, perhaps curious over what the small noises on the platform were, and Sesshōmaru had to break away from the engagement, leaving the _miko _to blink and come back to herself. Normally these encounters with the Emperor lasted for a hearty chunk of the day. Normally...

"You are dismissed."

"Yes, _Dai Tennō_."

The human male left as he had approached, gracing Sesshōmaru with elaborate gestures of respect. He watched none of it, and instead turned his attention back to the female straddling his hip.

"That was... brief," she whispered, grinning bashfully toward the floor.

"Hm." Blue eyes met his again, her leg shifting against his lower back. The gesture may not have been intended to excite him, perhaps she merely wished to disentangle herself. Then again all _he_ did was sit cross legged and hold the base of her head, whereas _she _had knotted herself around his side thoroughly enough to make his pelt envious if it had conscious thought.

His female licked her lips, breaking eye contact as the _shōji_ slid shut, closing them off from the _shiro_. "I am sure we have things to do."

"Yes, we do," he agreed, dropping his hand from her neck. A shade of disappointment was clear on her expression, her hold on him loosening immensely as she began to withdraw. That was not his intention, and he planned to make that clear. Smoothing his fingers just above the top of her _hakama_, above the small of her back, he pulled her a little closer, not wishing to intimidate. The act was registered, and a moment after he ceased it was to feel her shift up against him, her groin meeting his armor. Closing the gap between their faces by a hand's width, watching as she relaxed and feeling her lean in against him, he stopped, unsure if this was the right thing to do. He was very aroused already, and their level of privacy was something he had no issue with taking advantage of given the chance, but everything seemed off. Given her history, she was acting far too naturally, and he wanted to know why.

_Hakui _covered arms slid up around his neck as luscious lips again pressed to his, reminding him how much he fancied interrupting the moment with questions. The contact was brief and she eased back a little, assessing him. Pulling her flush against his side he bent and captured her lips, kissing her with raw longing, allowing himself the noises of want and desire. A hum of aroused approval countered his demanding groan, one arm closing closer around his neck and a hand cupping his cheek as their mouths enticed one another. Eventually she pulled away, lips reddened and a little puffy from the exchange, her breathing erratic.

"I do not want sex."

"That is permissible," he stated, pulling her back in for more and meeting only eager acceptance. He pushed fabric from her shoulder and down her chest without hearing complaints, and soon his hand enveloped a nicely peaked swell. The female moaned against his mouth when he felt at her development, her size being quite impressive.

"Hmm..." she whimpered to him, a thumb rubbing forcefully across one marking of his cheek. "Is... this too much?"

"No," he assured, sliding his hand down to her bottom and lifting her up and into his lap, her legs straddling his waist as he remained sitting cross legged.

"Oh, good."

Holding his face with both hands, she resumed the kiss and shifted onto her knees, lifting so her chest pressed to his lower neck. Sliding his hand around the back of her thigh, feeling it in one pass, he broke the oral contact in favor of bending and taking the exposed tip of her chest into his mouth. With a brief exclaim she pressed up into his face, her balance teetering for a moment as her hands became lost in his hair. Why this passion was so easily tapped into and why it seemed to source from simple toying and immature play were mysteries to him. Mysteries for later. In favor of the female in his arms he set aside his curiosity and moved his hand to the hem of her clothing, tucking his fingers into the layers of fabric and following her bare leg up to the cleavage of her thighs.

"Nn, Sesshōmaru-"

"_Not yet..."_ Groaning against her he continued his actions, smoothing his unoccupied hand around the bared skin of her upper abdomen before sliding it beneath her arm and _hakui_. The action pushed away fabric from her covered shoulder, baring the entirety of her torso. As she relented and pulled her remaining arm free from the felled sleeve he reached up behind her and cupped her shoulder blade, keeping her delicious femininity with him as she held the sides of his head. In the opportunity of her acceptance of pleasure he carefully pressed his finger up against her concealed entrance.

A small and uncertain whimper was his reward before her hips moved toward his contact in response, then back, aligning his touch with her most sensitive spot. The action was innate on her behalf, requiring minimal time to complete the motion, and it was something that she shifted to undo the next moment but he outmaneuvered his intended and gently pursued 'tickling' her.

"Sesshōmaru..." A demanding growl rumbled out of him, a rare noise that made her protests die down into soft moans. Warm hands fell from his ear and cheek to his shoulders for support, gripping him gently. "This is too much..." She took a moment to wince her eyes and bite her lower lip, enjoying herself. "We're going too far."

"This is innocent compared to what I could be doing with you," he informed while switching to her other, jealously perked mound, grasping the one he had abandoned before taking her into his mouth once more. Moments filled with her willing enjoyment passed before she finally surrendered to him with a careless moan. Running one hand up the nape of his neck, her fingers sliding through his hair, she tilted her hips to offer easier access to him, responding beautifully once she grew comfortable with what he was doing and flexing her hands on him depending on where he rubbed and at what angle, telling him where she was sensitive and what pleased her most with small utterances and bodily flinches. Eventually her _ki_ began to make itself known, swelling regularly like an ocean tide just beneath her skin. If she was a _yōkai _then he would have understood her innate response as a sign of arousal, and even now he was tempted to believe the connections and Hisa's suspicions. After some time of teasing his female her high inner thighs began to strain and quiver around his hand, her muscles growing tired. This was enough acceptance, for now.

Releasing his intended's chest, he cupped her bottom as she sagged in her position and assisted her with sitting in his lap. She leaned heavily against him while her knees hugged the sides of his torso, a heavy sigh soon brushing against his throat. "You stopped."

She seemed surprised. "I did."

"Why?"

Rubbing her back, he lifted his chin so that she could rest against his neck as opposed to his jawline. "The position was tiring for you," he explained, reclining slightly on one hand into a comfortable position for both of them.

Shifting, she pressed her face against the curve of his neck with a hum. "Thank you."

What she was thanking him for remained uncertain, and he did not care to have her clarify, content with her acceptance and gratitude, his pelt even brushing back and forth against the ornate rug. With her arms folded against his chest, the sensation hindered greatly by his armor, he decided that holding her there was much better than making her speak.

By the time his intended seemed ready to fall asleep, something she seemed to do a lot in his presence, she stirred, humming again, and lifted her head, the fur of his pelt reaching all on its own and trying to stick to her cheek. It was a very charming sight and he found the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "Are you comfortable?"

After considering him with lazy eyes she finally smirked and nodded. "Emotionally, yes" She smoothed his pelt down with her hand, small snaps resulting from the contact. "I have no idea how you got so much static electricity... In terms of _physical_ comfort your armor is annoying, just so you know."

That statement got them separated, but not before she gave him a parting kiss, exciting him all over again. As she undid her _hakama _to rearrange her clothing properly he stood and reassembled his _kusazuri_ back into solid lengths, tying off the cord responsible for that slack and tucking it away once more. Readjusting his swords, he glanced at the _miko_ to find her still fiddling with her _hakui_, the _hakama_ awaiting her in a circle on the floor around her feet.

"I would love to eat something," she stated, tying the _koshihimo_ around her waist and interrupting his aroused thoughts. When he expressed his _yōki_ to summon a proper servant she looked up with curiosity. "What was that?"

"You may demand food shortly," he offered, watching as she bent for her _hakama_. There was nothing of pressing importance to see to in the Emperor's _shiro_, meaning that their remaining time there would be spent waiting until the sky was sufficiently darkened. "We will leave after nightfall for the _o-shiro_."

"I figured," she sighed, halfway through with the knotting process. "What other matters do you have to attend to while here?"

"None."

"... Oh." She finished her knot, making the front bow presentable with minor alterations. "You just needed to torment the Emperor?"

"I needed an excuse to permit you time for making your decision."

The correction made her smirk up at him, a faint blush gracing her cheeks. Her scent was more pleasant now that she had been enticed, and her body language was open toward him. "So, we are now waiting for nightfall before traveling."

"Yes."

"Hm," she nodded. "That is some time in the future."

It was. When he stepped off of the platform his intended hopped down and followed, walking a touch closer to him than what was normal. The improvement of her behavior was a wonderful surprise. Perhaps Hisa had some sound advice to share on how to maintain his intended's disposition.

"You summoned?"

The _miko_ faltered and looked down the _rōka_ to a female _kitsuneyōkai_.

"Have a meal prepared," Sesshōmaru ordered, meeting the _miko_'s eyes when she looked up at him.

"One meal, Sesshōmaru _Denka_?"

"For my companion," he clarified.

"It will be delivered to the proper location shortly."

The _miko_ watched the servant walk away, fascinated. "_Kitsune_?"

"Hm."

"She hid her tail."

"Tails," he modified. "She has five."

"Oh, wow," the female breathed, watching the servant walk away. "She is excellent at transformations. Why are all of the _yōkai_ servants so calm around me?"

"It is difficult to sense a _miko_ or a _hōshi_," he stated. "Not all _yōkai_ are strong enough to manage the feat."

The female fell in step with him as he turned down the corridor. "I would think that _ki_ is an obvious sensation."

"When expressed it is like standing near a building that is engulfed in flames," he explained as they made their way to the proper dining room for visitors such as himself. "Your energy, however, flows through all life aside from _yōkai_. Unless you show your competence in wielding _ki_ as a weapon it will merely be seen as the normal energy found within all simple lifeforms."

"Simple," she echoed, scoffing. "My clothing is a dead giveaway though, so your explanation lacks."

"I am allowing you to live in my presence. That is enough validation for all weaker _yōkai_ that you are not a threat."

"But they do acknowledge that I am a threat regardless, correct?"

The question was peculiar. "Without protection _yōkai_ will innately fear your potential."

"So then without you here they would be intimidated."

"Yes."

"Even though they cannot sense my strength since _ki_ is difficult to distinguish?"

The conversation was being taken in circles by her inquiries. "Your potential is too great to overlook. With your tendency to allow _ki _to fluctuate _yōkai_ would be able to sense your presence from anywhere within the city, though your gender and age would be unclear."

She seemed to take this evidence of her lack of training as a compliment, walking a little taller with pride.

"Sesshōmaru-_sama_!"

The female stopped, making Sesshōmaru come to a standstill and regard the imp who came running over.

"I finally found you! Sheng-_sama_ has sent word that there are suspicious records to be read over."

Sesshōmaru narrowed his eyes with suspicion and annoyance. "_Are_ there?"

"I saw them myself," Jaken confirmed. "Orders on soldier locations, the routing of funds, trade alterations, all hidden in the incorrect section, Sesshōmaru-_sama_."

That was not a good sign. The last time such records were discovered was when the Emperor had moved to detach himself and his family from _yōkai_ influence and veer the territory toward economic chaos for personal gain.

"So you _do_ have something to do," the _miko_ teased, grinning up at him. "If we were heading to the only room at the end of this hall then I will eat and wait for you to finish."

Nodding, he resigned himself to the task and walked for the records section of the library, Jaken tagging along with the staff's two heads bobbing near Sesshōmaru's upper arm.

* * *

><p>Kagome watched the stoic <em>inugami daiyōkai <em>walk away, his hair swishing in a mesmerizing fashion. With a blush she turned away and continued toward the _fusuma_ ahead, thinking over the last hour. At least, it might have been an hour. It could have lasted for only ten minutes. She had completely lost herself _and _her sense of time in Sesshōmaru's lap, and in all honesty she had thoroughly enjoyed it. Sango's reassurance gave Kagome something that she would consider to be permission, on the condition that she did not take things too far though. Perhaps. There _were_ times that she was more infertile than others, and with her period bound to happen within a day and a half this was one of those times. The thought had her femininity quivering with want.

Glancing back once more, watching Sesshōmaru disappear around a corner, she redirected her gaze forward, a little embarrassed, and was quite impressed by the intricate painting on the _fusuma_ that barred her entry. What sat on the other side of them when she turned around from shutting the entrance had her eye twitching immediately.

"Ah, what a wonder it is to see such a perfect cherry blossom in this inhospitable season."

"Hello, Sheng," she greeted in return, watching the _inuyōkai_ warily as he got up from his _sake_ littered table and made his steady way over to her, arms open and mouth smiling, the expression hiding faint smile-wrinkles on his face. A little nervous, she looked back over her shoulder for Sesshōmaru, hoping he would come barging through that or the second set of doors.

"Now, now, being irritable does not suit one as fair as you."

"And empty flattery will get you nowhere with me," she informed, watching as his arms dropped and he settled for a surprisingly Western bow.

"I would never bombard a female with anything but the most sincere flattery." Kagome, impressed, blinked at the abruptly unoccupied space where Sheng had been and noticed a gentle pressure around her fingers. Looking down, she was startled to see him kissing the back of her hand while on one knee and her heart about stopped. He soon released her and backed away before she even began to blush, a coy little smile on his face. "I am honored to entertain your company."

Her attention was successfully ensnared, if nothing else, and that was likely the elder _inuyōkai_'sgoal. Kagome quickly recalled Hisa's elaborations of Sheng and the way Sesshōmaru had been annoyed by the mere mentioning of Sheng. For some vindictive reason the memory made her warm up a bit more to the _inuyōkai _before her. "You seem to be very busy. Are you waiting for someone? The Emperor, perhaps?" It was only then that a thought struck her like a brick to the brow. "You sent for Sesshōmaru."

"I did."

"But... you are _here."_

"I am."

Suspicious, and somewhat humored, she tilted her face a little away from the elder to peer at him from an angle. "Sheng-_sama_, did you send Sesshōmaru on a wild quail chase?"

"I do not know what you mean by that," he informed, smirking. "But it is very healthy for pups of his age to chase their own tails once in a while."

A grin jumped onto her face and she tried very hard not to laugh. "I understand then that you wish to speak with me in private?"

"I wish merely to properly savor your company."

"It looks to me that you have been savoring something else."

Offering her a funny look, Sheng soon smiled and glanced back at his table. Half of the _sake_ bottles were standing on one side of the surface and the rest on the other. There was a small cup but it seemed to be unused considering its upside down position. "I am idling the day away, my dear. Would you care to join me?"

"Perhaps," she obliged, approaching the table with him and counting the bottles. "You seem to have a very high tolerance." The smaller of the two groups consisted of twelve.

"Compared to a human I am an immortal when it comes to _sake_."

"Which _sake_ are you drinking?"

"A healthy variety."

"That is hardly healthy..."

"The _umeshu_ has plums."

"Fermented plums," she challenged, taking a seat at the table and peering into the tops of the various flasks. Their dark interiors hid the colors of the types of _sake_. "Do you have _shōchū_?" He pointed at a flask to her far right. "That is strong."

"Not as strong as the _awamori_."

"You _have_ that?" Sheng pointed out another flask, which she picked up and sniffed. It made her head dizzy and she set it down with a solid clack. "**Whoa**..."

"That is what we consider to be _yōkai_ grade _sake_."

"I think I would fall flat on my rump after three swallows of that..."

"I would be willing to bet a great deal of gold on you being asleep after two swallows and a short amount of time."

A little disturbed, she nudged the _awamori_ away. "You put something special in it then."

"That we do."

"It may kill me with five swallows then." Putting that thought out of her mind – and happy to know that human grade _awamori_ was less cruel to some degree – she changed the subject. "Does Sesshōmaru drink?"

"You do not know?"

Pausing, wondering how to recover, she flinched when Sheng broke the silence with a small bark of laughter.

"He does not favor _sake_ of any sort," he offered, seeming very humored. "If he did then his mood would improve drastically."

That made Kagome giggle. "True. How much would he need for that?"

"Considering he is unaccustomed to _sake_, perhaps only twelve flasks of _shōchū_, or three of _awamori_ if he can stomach it."

"_**Flasks**?"_ Kagome had been swimming in her own head after just one, and Sesshōmaru would only be in a better _mood_ after downing that much? As a _lightweight_?

"You do not seem to believe me," Sheng commented after witnessing her dumbfounded expression. "Perhaps tonight he will demonstrate what he is capable of handling."

"We will be traveling to the _o-shiro_ tonight," she explained, her voice a little deadpanned as she mulled the facts over. How was that possible?

"Oh will you?"

"Yes." She put the matter aside and regarded the _inuyōkai_ sitting across from her. "He is rather committed to the plan."

"Plans may change."

"Do you forget how stubborn Sesshōmaru is?"

"Do you forget that he is merely a pup compared to me?"

Kagome was taken aback by that. "What?"

"He is still limited to two weapons and an incomplete set of armor," Sheng stated, taking a drink from one flask and savoring it like it were a smoothie. … She missed smoothies. "He is highly inexperienced, at least compared to someone such as myself. By the time he reaches his second millennium he will reflect on his actions at this age and be embarrassed by a great many of them.

In a way, Kagome could see how very true that was. In high school she had felt completely competent to make any and all life altering decisions thrown at her. In fact, she had set her heart on a plan to become married to Inu-Yasha and live the rest of her days in the feudal era as his wife. Six years later, increasing her age by forty percent since that time of her life, she reflected every now and then on that desire and laughed her little Asian butt off at herself. It was actually embarrassing what she thought would be 'ideal' at that age and with that lack of experience, and since she realized it at the age of twenty-one it was easy to figure that by the time she was twenty-seven she would reflect on all of _this_ and either laugh her butt off again or break down into tears of shame. _"Oh _kami_, we made out and... did __**that**__."_ She needed to make sure to not get carried away like that again if she truly did not want to have sex with the male. Really, he _had_ been so very sexy then, playing with her and being sly about it, but sexy wasn't enough to take such a potential risk. _"Although he __**did**__ stop when it seemed necessary. Perhaps becoming active with him would not be too bad."_ If he agreed to sexual shortcomings in order to avoid her window of fertility later on. She was not too worried about the concept of sex in the near future, it was being able to deny the male later on or make him agree to methods of keeping her from getting with child. She did not know if he would understand and comply with her needs, and she did not know if she would be able to deny his once she was sexually active. It was a shame, but to think blindly that she would be in perfect control of herself was just asking for years and years of trouble. Passion was simply too strong sometimes, and it was something that she knew she needed to respect.

"You are blushing."

"It happens," she assured, her mood in a slight torrent. What was she going to do with herself?

"Yes, it does. Virgin women always give the most genuine and beautiful of blushes."

Startled nearly out of her skin she shot her eyes up to the elder, who watched her in a mildly amused and patient manner. "How-...?" There was no safe spin on that question.

"How do I know that you and Sesshōmaru are not the intended lovers that you have claimed to be?"

Her stomach twisted, which was terrible because at that time the _fusuma_ opened and their conversation dwindled as a servant carefully hustled in, bearing food. It was set down before Kagome very neatly, drinks provided, and she managed to mumble a thanks before Sheng ordered a jug of water and something by a name she did not recognize before waving the servant on her way. When the _fusuma _slid shut he picked up the conversation again flawlessly.

"That pup has grown to be excessively self-assured if he believes that he is able to trick me on such a matter. I would consider the fact to be rather insulting and demand compensation in increments of his pride if it did not offer me so much entertainment."

"How?" The question just slipped out, but she was satisfied with it.

"How would I chisel at the pup's pride?"

"Amusing to think about, but no. How did you know about us?"

The _inuyōkai_ seemed quite humored. "Any _yōkai_ with a decent nose and a habit for frequenting humans would pick up on it. Humans, once mated, give off a very charming scent, one that they do not seem to be aware of, as saddening as that is. Perhaps they undergo a change of sorts, or it may have to do with their acceptance of their situation in life, but either way it is a consistent human trait and one that I am quite fond of."

That made Kagome smile, though her heart still skipped over the fact that the elder had so easily uncovered their farce. She had read many books about what happened in the human body, wanting to know when Inu-Yasha would pick something up from her and for what reason, and this 'charming scent' was one of the things she had read of. "There _are_ some things that change, actually. When humans fall in love there are hormones that strengthen and become more active, making it easier for us to emotionally bond with our partner. That may be what your sharp nose is picking up."

"Perhaps," Sheng admitted, not commenting on the peculiar words she used. "I do wish that you may release such a scent soon in life, young one. Time does have a habit of slipping away far too quickly."

His concern made her laugh and, in a fatherly manner, feel cared for. "I am aware of my lifespan and plan to make the most of it when the time is right. Thank you for the good wishes, I will cherish them."

"Oh, you _are_ a charming little thing." The elder smiled at her, then tipped back another swallow. "How _does_ Sesshōmaru live with himself knowing that a female like you still walks untouched?"

Flattered, Kagome bunched her shoulders slightly and blushed, looking toward the table surface. It was nice to be flattered for once.

"I will inform Sesshōmaru that if he does not have such intentions toward you then I will request the honor of your time in order to grow familiar with such a pretty young woman."

… That actually sounded like fun to her. Sure, the guy had a spontaneous and bold sense of humor, but he could be polite as well and his experience made him a valuable source of insight. Plus, since he already knew about their farce, maybe she could actually have a fun night with _sake_ and a smiling conversationalist. Or perhaps several of those nights. Then again...

"I am fairly certain that Sesshōmaru will flat-out refuse any chance of that."

"He may remain ignorant."

The concept humored her to no end. "Testing him seems... unhealthy."

"Young males freshly of age do have very unpredictable temperaments, and that is when an unclaimed female is _not_ in their presence." Smiling, Sheng laced his fingers together on the tabletop and changed subjects. "Now then, what brings you to Kyōto? There are no official matters for Sesshōmaru to address."

"Actually, we are here in order to temporarily escape the consequences of my ignorance. It was quite enlightening to know what normally results from a female claiming a male as her intended."

"Oh, no no no," Sheng tutted, setting aside a raised yet untasted flask before taking his chin into hand and propping it on the wooden surface, weighing her with his eyes alone. "That will not do. It is time then to write some forgiving policies applicable to Japan."

"So you _can _change the laws."

"To an extent," Sheng admitted after a moment, finally taking that drink. "We are not in the mainland. Customs need to change around here. It is past time to find some liberty in being separated from the main pack, but too much liberty will be seen as a rebellious threat."

Glad that _someone _was willing to consider change she asked Sheng to point her to the weakest _sake _and tried a small taste. Her appetite was still not piqued, despite the scrumptious array of food. "As matters stand I doubt that such can be accomplished overnight, so we are still faced with an issue."

Appearing quite unconcerned, Sheng waved his hand in the air dismissively. "Do not fret over the matter, my dear. I am certain that your little duel with Meiling for mating rights will be soon in coming, so allow Sesshōmaru to accept your claim and see where things go from there."

"I conceded to it this morning."

"You did not," Sheng answered without a trace of doubt, taking a long drink.

"... I did," she insisted, frowning.

The flask was set down empty. "You are still a virgin, _miko_. Full acceptance will only be complete once the two of you are mated."

Groaning, she scrubbed her hands through her hair. Why did so many things in _inuyōkai _society depend on mating or being mated? Maybe she could score a bath at this _shiro_ for the remainder of the night, _and _sleep in it undisturbed.

"You were unaware of this?"

"Yes..."

"And the concept of mating with Sesshōmaru displeases you?"

Possibilities flashed through her mind, far too many to recognize a single one and none of them with the same opinion as another. "Um, to some extent." Memories of earlier that day almost floored her with a sense of eager shame. They had gone too far for how uncertain she was about Sesshōmaru as such a partner. "Actually, yes, it does. Greatly."

A hearty laugh jostled out of Sheng's chest, making her startle slightly. "You need not worry your pretty little self over such matters," he reassured. "Acceptance in simplest form is merely a verbal statement, but it _is _incomplete."

"Well, at least I do not have to strip naked in front of a massive audience and beg for his acceptance... Thank you for being so truthful."

"Any time, my dear _miko_."

"Oh, please, that is the only entitlement I ever hear from Sesshōmaru," she stated, focusing on sane and stable breathing. "I would love to hear my name now and then."

"And I would love to speak it if you would not mind enlightening me as to what it is."

"Kagome. Higurashi Kagome," she provided, feeling better and taking another sip of alcohol before setting it aside in favor of her chopsticks. The food really did smell good, consisting of a huge serving of white rice, a beautiful filet of fish cooked in a rich dark sauce, steamed vegetables, a small steamed bun, and a wide yet human considerate selection of side dishes set to one side. All in all it was surprisingly modest in display and variety, but the taste was exquisite and she spoke between bites. "I must admit that it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"A lovely name, though surprisingly long. And I would not be lying to say that your acquaintance is far more rewarding," Sheng replied, watching her eat.

Recalling his manner of greeting earlier, she ventured to ask a pressing question. "You have visited the far west?"

Sheng nodded in confirmation, considering her. "You seem to be quite cultured, particularly for one of this island. Does this explain your accent?"

"The world can be a very small place sometimes," she replied cryptically, offering a genuine smile. "You are familiar with human accents?"

"I make it a habit to study them in person. I should love to acquaint myself with yours. It is... unfamiliar to me."

To her surprise she laughed, genuinely enjoying the subject. It seemed like years since she had such an exchange with someone. It was a joy to encounter such a casual and open minded stranger. "Why did you visit the west?"

"The kingdoms are reaching further west, toward the untainted terrains to our east. It is a subject of great curiosity for me."

"For you in particular?"

"For me, specifically, yes."

"Hm." Tasting the fish she fell in love with the chef and did not bother with instigating speech again. After a few minutes of stuffing her face, a time in which the servant brought the drinks that Sheng had ordered, he pipped up once more.

"There is a game that I should love to partake in with you."

"Mm?" Mostly done with her main course of food, she poured some tea to help ease it down her throat.

"A drinking game."

"Alcohol is too strong," she stated once her mouth was empty, soon refilling it.

"I would make appropriate alterations," he promised, taking another drink of some sort of _sake_. "You _are_ only human, after all."

"Watch it," she cautioned, finishing off her rice and taking the last bite of fish. There were still all of the small side dishes to dig into, which she looked forward to after eating her steamed bun. "I may enjoy a drinking game, with 'appropriate alterations'."

"Splendid," Sheng stated with seconds to spare before the _fusuma_ crashed open, admitting a perturbed Sesshōmaru with a remarkably intact scroll clenched angrily in his fist.

"Ah, here he comes," Sheng offered as a greeting, remaining seated as Sesshōmaru came to a seething stop a mere pace away from the elder. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Kagome watched, feeling admittedly nervous while keeping the ends of her chopsticks still poised between her lips, and Sesshōmaru proffered the scroll and allowed it to unravel a bit, revealing the end. The sight had her choking on a stray piece of rice and reaching desperately for her tea.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Can an elder not enjoy the finer arts?"

"Sheng, you risk exile."

"Perhaps," the elder conceded, glancing at Kagome as she finished swallowing and finally began to cough, a smile on her face as her gaze darted to and away from the image scrawled on the scroll. It was a surprisingly modern seeming cartoon sketch, roughly drawn and simply straightforward, it showed a face sticking out its tongue with closed eyes and open hands lifted near its ears in a very mocking fashion. "Sesshōmaru _Denka_, are you pointing out that I am terrible with ink and brush when it comes to painting?"

Kagome couldn't help it. She tried, she really did, but a snigger choked partway out before she could will it away. Without warning she found her jaw gripped and lifted at an angle. Sesshōmaru's face was in hers in an instant, his nose near her lips. He was no sooner there than gone, leaving her staring in transfixed awe at the ceiling.

"You have given her _sake_."

"_Self-righteous nuisance,"_ she thought, looking away from the male and toward Sheng instead. Grabbing her face like that, the very _idea_.

"I have not denied her wishes," the older male confirmed, seeming quite happy with himself and making Kagome smirk. "You should try some. The Emperor has a very good stock of all of the human basics as well as a decent selection of our specialty alcohol."

"This is good," Kagome pointed out the flask she had sampled, wishing to irk Sesshōmaru a little more by her own hand. "And why should he not offer a grown woman a drink? It went wonderfully with my meal."

Her slight exaggeration of the truth was not a flat out lie, and from her experience with Inu-Yasha that was enough to eliminate the vast majority her chance of being caught in the fib. Returning Sesshōmaru's flat regards reassured her in that assumption, seeing as he soon turned his attention to Sheng and did not call her out on anything; yet.

"She _is_ of age," Sheng pointed out to Sesshōmaru, a certain tone in the _inuyōkai_'s voice that made Sesshōmaru's face turn to stone and Kagome's brow furrow. A prank was a prank, and although she never expected the _daiyōkai_ to take it lightly she _also_ never expected him to take it so terribly. Sesshōmaru appeared ready to chew iron into a paste. "Would you be willing to allow us a moment of privacy, dear?"

It took until the end of the sentence for Kagome to realize that Sheng was addressing her while never taking his eyes from Sesshōmaru. Suddenly feeling uncertain about her safety in that location she nodded her head and stood. Finding a place to alleviate herself would be a good use of her time while giving the two males some privacy.

A little worried, she glanced back before leaving and tried to take solace in the fact that Sheng spared her a glance and offered a warm and comforting expression before she left.

* * *

><p>"I am surprised that you have not marked her yet," Sheng stated once the <em>miko<em> shut the _fusuma_, closing them off in the room.

"She had accepted my imprinting on her," Sesshōmaru stated sternly, his nerves and patience rubbed raw. "That will suffice."

The elder gave him a heavy look, then gestured at the opposite side of the table to the recently vacated cushion. Taking the silent invite Sesshōmaru sat and eyed the _sake _that was pushed in his direction by a sufficiently lethal clawed hand. "That was not the marking I was referring to, pup. How long has she been with you now? Certainly not before the last full moon, I was still in the _o-shiro_ then." At Sesshōmaru's guarded expression Sheng sighed through his nose and sat formally on his cushion, back straight and expression solid. It was moments like this that the elder reminded Sesshōmaru of his late sire. "I knew the instant I first scented her. Do not discredit my experience."

If there was one thing the _inuyōkai _had it was certainly that. Sesshōmaru tried to relax now that the threat had weakened, but he was more comfortable to remain rigid and... ready. "Since the last quarter." Sheng's flat stare spoke loud and clearly. That was not a long duration of time. "We first met six summers ago."

"Hm." The elder broke eye contact and tilted a bottle up, taking a long drink and sighing to himself after swallowing. Apparently the air to Sesshōmaru's far left was more interesting to contemplate. "She is resilient, no?"

It suited her well. "In every sense of the word."

"Do not expect it to last." The words caught Sesshōmaru's attention, particularly since Sheng spoke in a rarely encountered serious tone. "Humans are as frail as they are flighty. Be very careful with her, Sesshōmaru."

"No physical harm will come to her," he assured, picking up a bottle and peering at the contents. He could smell the _miko_'s scent on the rim.

"Perhaps," Sheng allotted, starting on another flask. "Skin is one thing, but a pure and good-natured human's greatest failing is their heart. It is the easiest organ to reach without piercing the skin. Kagome is strong, yet still inexperienced in the ways of the heart and emotions."

Frowning, Sesshōmaru mulled over that before taking a drink. The alcohol was of a good quality, a hint of sweetness to it, but it still made him want to bare his teeth in a grimace for the taste alone.

"It is not just you who can harm her in such a way," Sheng continued as though in idle conversation. "How has she handled the females?"

"Impressively well, given her level of preparation."

"Have there been any skirmishes?"

"None," Sesshōmaru answered, taking another drink. Once he gained his father's title, drinking _sake_ would become a ritual pastime with officials and allies alike. It was not something he enjoyed, but that was merely because of his lack of practice in tolerance.

"Then I consider her lucky. Being a _miko_ will not keep her safe indefinitely. From what I experienced she has very little training in her practice." The solid tap of another empty bottle being set down interrupted the conversational pause, and Sheng did not reach for another. Sesshōmaru could have sworn that the male had an extra stomach solely for storing _sake_. "How do you expect her to survive Meiling?"

"She is not an incompetent," Sesshōmaru stated, taking another drink and enjoying the burn down his throat more than the conversation. There were more pleasant topics to pursue, including Sheng's punishment for wasting Sesshōmaru's time.

"Perhaps not for a human," the elder agreed, "but for a _yōkai_ with over a thousand years of training she is nothing more than an injured mouse left to the musings of a cat. If you want her to survive then you must assure her being trained to fight."

"The only weapon she will have is her _ki_, and I cannot train her in that."

"You cannot," Sheng agreed, "but she has experience with a sword. Do not look so surprised, you should have noticed this by the development of her arms. It is minute, compared to a male soldier, but I would assume that she has practiced for a decent duration of time now."

"What is Meiling's weapon of choice?"

Sheng scoffed, crossing his arms and reclining minutely. _"Never_ would I have expected you to bed anything you were not fully prepared to defeat in battle."

"Answer the question, Sheng."

The elder rolled a muscular, armored shoulder. "Knowing females and judging by her casual stance, I would assume that she is trained in daggers, though I have never seen her carry any. Because of that fact she will most likely rely on more _discrete_ means of achieving victory. Poison is one thing, but it would affect her as well during battle, so I will make no certain claims. Be ready for trickery and assassination attempts from here on out though."

Nodding, Sesshōmaru finished off the bottle and set it aside, not willing to drink more.

"Also, keep in mind that if you mate with Meiling then Kagome's fate as the competitive female is sealed. Then again... Well, that little female _is_ a _miko_, and while she is not fully trained it would be terrible to have to report to China that you mated a human at the cost of a high ranking female's life. And the soldiers will not be delighted by your mating announcement." Sesshōmaru took up another bottle. "Pray that Meiling does not enter her heat, Sesshōmaru, or the consequences will not be favorable for our little human companion."

"I will not be visiting Meiling's rooms any longer," Sesshōmaru stated, a bit annoyed with the options left to him.

"That will prove to be somewhat difficult," Sheng informed, sighing yet again. "Now that you have experienced a female you will find yourself to be tempted by the flesh by this half moon. You have not gone without bedding Meiling for that duration of time yet and you _will_ find it difficult. It is not the same as heat lust, but the wanting is a formidable foe at your age." A third bottle was pushed to Sesshōmaru while Sheng's hands remained empty. It seemed that he was content with having downed twenty-six himself. "Do not expect satisfaction from the _miko_. If you are to abstain then you will do so fully unless an agreeable female comes to you. Take some of our soldier reports as examples and avoid losing yourself to the wanting."

"Your worries are misplaced."

"Your experience is limited, as well as your understanding of the situation." Sesshōmaru glared but the older male was having none of it. "The tragic stories you grew up with in regards to the dangers of mating are all true, Sesshōmaru. You will do well to heed their warnings and to avoid issues before they have a chance to become apparent. I will be there for you when you need me most," Sheng stated, his expression serious, "but I can only help you once, and only when matters become dire."

They stared at one another then, assessing and keeping up a formal defense. After some odd moments Sesshōmaru nodded, understanding the implications. "If such becomes necessary then you have my gratitude in advance. I will do what is necessary in the meantime."

The conversation was interrupted when the _fusuma_ opened, admitting a smiling _miko_. "I got lost for a bit."

"We all do sometimes," Sheng stated, a warm smile immediately on his face and a twinkle in his eye, leaving Sesshōmaru to be the only one disturbed by their conversation.

"Well, that is not the sole source for my extended absence." The female sat down next to Sesshōmaru, seeming much more happy. "The servant I found would _not_ stop asking me why I was here."

"What did you say?"

"Um... That there were official matters to attend to..." Sesshōmaru grabbed the proffered third _sake_ bottle, despite the strong scent of alcohol. "That seemed to be the easiest thing to get away with. I am sick of not knowing what to say to members of our little audience."

"That is understandable. And your audience is far from little, my dear actress."

"Oh, I know."

Blocking out the rest of their conversation, Sesshōmaru pondered over the facts in his life. The options were terrible, the risks were great, and the outcome would affect a hearty chunk of the entire world. It was worth every difficulty, but the more he thought about the _miko_'s upcoming battle, her options, her abilities, and the chances of her coming out alive...

A small hand settled on the end of his shoulder and he glanced over.

"Hey, I asked you a question," the female jested, smiling and appearing to be enjoying herself. As she stared though her expression faltered. "Are you alright?"

"I am fine." Slipping an arm around behind her, cupping her hip, he pulled his pretend lover closer, holding her there as dark thoughts waited to be acknowledged just in the shadows of his mind. They ran some distance away when the _miko_ rested her head back against his shoulder, resuming her jovial chatter with Sheng as opposed to repeating her question, and Sesshōmaru had to weather the elder's amused smirk when the young female in their midst closed her eyes with bright laughter.

The daylight crept by at a slow pace as the two conversed non-stop, interrupted only when a tapping at the _shōji_ startled the _miko_ mid sentence. It opened to reveal Jaken.

"Ah, it seems that we have been found."

"Good evening, Sheng-_sama_. Sesshōmaru-_sama_, I would like to discu-GAH!"

"Hello," the female greeted over Sesshōmaru's shoulder, still in a bubbly mood. "Please, do not allow me to interrupt."

"Sesshōmaru-_sama_! What is this human wench doing _there_?"

Sheng burst out into laughter as the _miko_'s expression darkened. "For your information, you little imp, I happen to be quite welcome here."

Jaken stared at the female leaning against Sesshōmaru. "Impossible!"

"Hey, do not insult Sesshōmaru like this," she snipped. "As if someone like me is capable of tricking someone like him to, oh, say, put his arm around me for a good portion of the day."

Sesshōmaru did not need to turn back around to know Jaken's stricken expression. Before things could escalate he would bring them to an end. "What business do you have here, Jaken?"

"Sesshōmaru-_sama_, I would be more than happy to inform you of the matter in private.

The imp was rarely so bold. Wondering what there was to report, Sesshōmaru released the female only to feel her hand slide up along his neck in an intimate manner. This caught his interest. Looking down at her, his intended acted out for the sake of opportunity and pulled him down a short distance by his _eri_ into a warm kiss. The gesture toyed at his heart, making it feel light in his chest as he sat propped on one splayed hand, savoring her attentions. As she sat back down onto her heels he bent his arm and leaned to her, enjoying her small smile and a light giggle against his lips as she willingly engaged him once again. Finally the day was becoming interesting once again.

A throat cleared, opening the door to reality, and the female turned her flushed face away, grinning to herself and shooting abashed glimpses at Sheng. Short, jagged chokes had Sesshōmaru glancing over behind them to see a stunned Jaken standing by the support of his staff alone, his pointed face a lighter shade of green.

"Do not be too long," the _miko_ requested, slipping her hand onto his knee and giving it a slight squeeze, tempting him, making one of Sheng's eyebrows lift as he smiled at them behind steepled fingers.

Getting up, Sesshōmaru made his way to the flapping beak that awaited him. "S-Sesshōmaru-_sa_-!"

Stepping on Jaken on his way for the exit, Sesshōmaru wondered over what, exactly, would wind up being important enough to leave such forward attentions.

* * *

><p>"Well, my dear, I was not expecting such a show of affection."<p>

Smirking, Kagome shifted where she sat, focusing on her forgotten side dishes. "It is fun to have an audience."

"Although the excuse _is_ convenient, I find myself to be thoroughly unconvinced."

Smirking, she offered a shrug and continued with her contemplations over the kiss. It really had delighted her, even though it made her wonder over her temporary caving to desire earlier that day. _"How much of a slut __**am**__ I?"_

"Ah, the ventures of youth." When she looked up at him, her cheeks hurting with her smile, she was relieved to see that he was humored. "The two of you make for quite the occult pair."

"_And_ forbidden," she added, lacing her fingers together on the tabletop and keeping her bridged hands by her mouth. "It really is exciting sometimes."

"Something has happened between the two of you since our introduction. I am tempted to know what."

"Has your nose finally failed you?"

"To some extent." Leaning forward, resting his forearms on the table, Sheng regarded her with eyes that simply glittered with curiosity. "I am finding it to be very difficult to accept the idea that a mere kiss brought the two of you so much closer."

"Closer," she scoffed lightly, picking up one of the remaining room temperature flasks of _sake_. Just half of one, for a merry little buzz, but the way Sheng regarded her actions had her thinking that he was watching a toddler becoming curious over a defanged cobra. "I do not believe that he could have pulled me any closer throughout our conversation. In fact, I believe that the kiss put us a little further _apart_ just by making room for our faces."

"You sharing a kiss beforehand would result in him drawing you close in the first place."

"Oh." Sniffing the mouth of the bottle she winced and shook her head away. It smelled very strong. "What type of _sake_ is this? Not _Nihonsu_, right?"

"It is _shima_."

"_Shima_?"

"Another word for _awamori_, if that is of any assistance," he offered.

"Oh." … She dared a small sip anyway. It was flavorless at first, a thick liquid warmth in her mouth. Swallowing, she inhaled through her mouth and her eyes popped.

Sheng was very good at being heard, even when his audience was choking on air. The stuff was like breathing in fire after pouring acid on your tongue! A part of her began to fear over what proof it really was. "Originating in Okinawa, _awamori_ is distilled from the longer grain rice of the neighboring lands across the sea as well as the local Okinawa cultures. It may very well be too strong for you, my dear."

"So," she blinked tears from her eyes, "this one does not have your special _yōkai_ alterations?"

"That is correct, fortunately for you. If you tried _this_," he shifted a rather large container on the floor to his side, its cork still waxed shut, "then you would be long gone and for a great duration of time."

"Nothing is too strong to handle one sip of," she argued, taking a steady breath and stubbornly downing a full swallow, doing her best to not breathe and introduce oxygen to the liquid in her mouth until it was in her stomach. Sheng laughed at her when she succeeded, and her victory speech was ruined when she began gagging lightly and coughing over the fumes coming off of her tongue and sliding straight into her lungs. It was like being allergic to air. "Oh, _k-kami_! How can you enjoy this?"

"It is quite delicious," he stated, taking the bottle from in front of her and smelling it as though it were a fine perfume. Then he took a drink, appearing to be quite happy with the taste, and set it down without any quirks in his expression. A part of her was appalled. The rest of her was envious. "It takes a highly refined taste to enjoy such a beverage."

"_Sake_ may be enjoyed in other ways," she challenged, composing herself and breathing in a steady manner through her nose.

"Enlighten me," the elder requested, seeming quite intrigued.

"Well, there are a plethora of drinking games out there, as you mentioned."

"Indeed there are, and that is a splendid idea."

Blinking, Kagome stared in awe when the table became clear in an instant. A very heavy _thunk_ caught her off guard and turned wide eyes at that impressive ceramic jug, now sitting on the tabletop. "What-?"

"_This_ game is called Fur, Fact or Fail," Sheng informed, arranging two cups and lifting the container of water that the servant had delivered for him. "The rules are simple. There are three hand symbols to choose from, the first being this," he lifted his pinky from a closed hand, "the second is this," he stuck out only his ring and index finger, "and the third is this," being pinky, middle finger and thumb. "Each symbol is stronger than one and weaker than the other. The first beats the third, the second beats the first, and the third beats the second." He paused a moment as Kagome wrapped her mind around that fact, flipping between hand gestures. "Whoever loses a round may choose either Fur, Fact or Fail, and they may not choose to do more than two of one option within five turns, meaning that for each of five rounds you must choose two options twice and the third one once. Is this clear so far?"

"Um..." She was still staring at her hands, wondering how she was supposed to make the gestures quickly and if she would be timed in presenting them.

"The options you get to choose from are as follows. Fur means that you may divest yourself of one item."

"_Oh, no..."_

"Fact, obviously, means that you must answer a question truthfully."

"_Oh, splendid..."_

"Failure is where you must take a drink." At this he pushed the water jug toward her. "Considering your lack of experience you may consume limited portions of _sake_ with each Failure drink. It is rather strong, even for me."

As sudden and odd as this was, Kagome was not the sort to pass up a fun game. "I will play on two conditions."

A twinkle entered the male's eyes as he undid the seal of the ominous _sake _container with the edge of his claw, wrapping it around the mouth of the jug. "Yes?"

"First-" she held up her pinky, then blinked at it and swapped it for her index finger. "First, because of your tolerance you take _two_ drinks each time you have a Failure."

"Agreed."

"Second... No one is to hear of what happens in this room."

"It is a deal," he stated, seeming quite excited. "Now then, here is your cup," he pushed one teacup her way, filling it mostly with water, topping it off with a small splash of _sake_. She would have considered it an insult if she could not immediately smell it from two feet away. "Only one swallow per fail for you. Make your hand gesture under the table, and on the count of three lift it into sight."

"Got it." She felt a bit nervous, but was excited. _"I'm mostly drinking water, which helps with preventing tipsiness, plus I have a lot of food in me already. And my bladder shouldn't hate me since I just emptied it. Right?"_

"Then we begin."

With a grin she shot her hand under the table, chose the two finger formation, then revealed it on the count of three. She lost. "I choose..." She could still smell that _sake_. "Um, Fact."

"What is the most intimate act you have ever done?"

Blood instantly shot into her cheeks. "R-really?"

"That is the nature of this game," he stated, smirking.

"**Really**?"

"You will have ample opportunity to get revenge, I guarantee it."

Smirking, a part of her mind began to mull over a future fact for him to answer. "The most intimate..." That was actually a very difficult question to answer. She had done many little things with Sesshōmaru and had felt a variety of different emotions for each scenario, but something that always came first to her mind when she began to ponder him in such a sinful manner... "You will not be impressed."

"Try me."

"Heh, fine. Well, I would have to say that it was getting dry humped with clothing on."

"Setting?"

"The middle of nowhere, in the woods."

"Time of day?"

"Just after sunset, I believe."

"With who?"

At that she faltered a moment, a smirk lifting the corners of her mouth as she refused to meet the male's eyes. "Well, who do you think?"

"Say a name. You must be detailed about your truths."

Rolling her eyes, trying to think up a very devious question, she obliged. "Sesshōmaru."

"Next round."

Kagome lost the next two times, choosing to drink her lightly spiked water both turns, and on the fourth round Sheng lost.

"Yes!" She was beginning to think that he moved his hand as quickly as he moved himself in order to win. "Do you choose Fact?"

"No." Kagome was quite angry when he took a drink. "Next round."

When she lost she took off one _waraji_ sandal and set it aside. The next _three_ times they had to redo thanks to choosing the same gesture, and the round after Kagome lost simply for messing up. The other _waraji_ came off. When she won the next round Sheng obliged her with selecting 'Fact'.

"How many females have you slept with?"

"Do you wish to know the number of a particular species or a general total?"

The question stunned her. "Um... What species are there to choose from?"

"I will indulge you in three, since you are a beginner."

Kagome laughed at that. "Okay, but they have to be the three most numerous. In order, _starting_ with highest frequency."

The elder smirked. "Human, _hiyōkai_ and _mizuyōkai_."

If she thought that she was shocked before... "Okay, how many _inuyōkai_?"

"One. Next round."

The next two times that Kagome lost she took a drink, emptying her cup halfway, and after her _tabi_ were gone she had to settle for a Fact yet again.

"Where are you from?"

"_That's it?"_ "I live in a little village a day's journey from Edo."

"That is not what I asked," he stated, keeping his good mood. "I have known many humans and am familiar with all of the accents to be found on Honshū, but never have I encountered yours. Where are you from, and be truthful."

"_... Well... shit."_ It was true, accents are nigh impossible to get rid of. Breaking down, wondering what Sesshōmaru was up to, she went ahead and confessed the truth to her companion. "I am from a different time."

"Be specific."

She was almost insulted by how unfazed he seemed. At least _Sesshōmaru _had a decent excuse for his nonchalant acceptance of the fact.. "I am from approximately five hundred years in the future, and used to travel back and forth on a regular basis but over the last six years it has been difficult to change times."

The old _inuyōkai _nodded. "Next round."

Kagome did not know whether to feel spared or uninteresting by this, and proceeded to lose another four rounds. On Sheng's two losses he mimicked her in an almost sarcastic manner, taking off his shoes. She realized then that he wore many more articles of clothing than she did. _"Damn, no wonder he agreed to two drinks per Fail!"_

As time passed she found herself losing by default more often, her fingers getting harder to control with each watered down drink, and Sheng _did _redeem _inuyōkai _in her opinion with a hearty amount of curiosity for each Fact she elected. By the time she told him about her family, manners of future education, the advancements of worldly communication, why her eyes were blue, what she enjoyed most about the male body, the scientific reasoning behind the wind, she was quite thoroughly buzzed and sat there at the table giggling her bottom off. Soon she was removing her _susoyake_, her last article of clothing aside from the _hakui_ covering it, and she realized that she had learned surprisingly little about Sheng, other than the facts that he had slept with five hundred and thirty-seven humans in his five thousand nine hundred and eighty-four years of life, that he traveled regularly outside of Japan, and that he had quite the stomach for hard liquor. The elder _inuyōkai_ did confirm what Sango had stated in the hot spring about swapping scents, making Kagome a little uncomfortable. Being across the table from Sheng apparently had her covered in his 'idle scent', which apparently meant something but she was not sure what.

"Fact!" Lifting her thrice empty cup into the air with the exclamation, she lowered it to allow Sheng to refill it with water and a splash of _sake_, the portions just as they had been before.

"Have you ever fallen in love?"

The sudden change in the nature of his questions threw her off a little and she giggled. "Aw, I though you'd ask about the space shuttles... Hum, you know, I really don't know if I have." Formal speech, on her behalf anyway, got shot straight to Hell when her cheeks began to tingle in a somewhat familiar manner once again, and to her delight Sheng highly enjoyed her 'real accent'.

"Then explain your experiences."

"Hmph." Smoothing a finger in circles on the rim of her cup she began to dig around her head for memories. "Well, there was Inu-Yasha, but that's a long and disappointing story. I had a youthful crush on him but as I got older he remained an irresponsible child, in a way, and never really encouraged me. Around the same time, initially at least, was a boy named Hojo. Super sweet, cute, really good-natured and kindhearted, always thoughtful about how I was doing since I was always 'sick' from school, but really he wasn't my type. Sorta too nice." Putting her finger into her mouth, tasting the somewhat distant twang of the alcohol on it, she hummed. "High school was interesting. I think I blossomed as a woman or something because I had quite a few guys interested in me around that time. There was always something wrong with them though, or a reason for me to not get involved, and I still had some hopes left on seeing Inu-Yasha again so _that_ didn't help my dating life whatsoever. That's basically it, humans here leave me alone since I'm a _miko_ first and a woman second..." Finished, she waited for him to announce the next round, getting her fingers in an accurate position under the table.

"And Sesshōmaru?"

"Hm?" Looking up away from her hand she blinked at the elder. "What about him?"

"You are intimate with him."

"Oh." Looking back down, feeling a little sad, she spoke to the tabletop. "Yeah, but that doesn't count."

"How so?"

"We're in an agreement, so anything we do together is just for a goal, not for the sake of attraction."

"Really?"

Nodding, she offered Sheng a smile. "It's fun, but when you think about it we can never go anywhere in terms of intimacy, and to think otherwise for even a second is pre- Prepoist- No, prepot..."

"Preposterous," he supplied.

"That one, yes. After all, he has a country to dominate and lords to make tremble at his feet, like Hell if any of that can happen when he has a weak female around and assassination attempts to guard against." Hearing herself say that was disheartening. "He needs a really ridiculously strong female. At least she may keep him in line."

"So you have considered a future with him."

"Eh," she intoned with a shrug, "not seriously. I was bound to put some thought to it out of boredom if nothing else, but usually it's only after he takes things too far and tries to strip me naked while raining kisses all over my neck and face."

Sheng's eyebrow perked up. "Continue."

"Nu-uh," she replied. "That's enough truth for you. Next round."

Losing again, blaming her fingers for not obeying her, she was left with choosing between Fact or Fur. Considering her level of dress, she chose Fact.

"Why do you engage Sesshōmaru romantically in private?"

"That's hardly fair," she defended. "I don't do it to him, _he_ does it to _me_, and it's stupid. _I _do my job and keep intimacy public." Memories stirred. "For the most part. I'm only human."

"Yes you are. So you _do_ permit it in private."

"No I don't, he cheats!"

"How does he cheat?"

"I don't know _how_, he just _does_. Tries to seduce me and- OH! He keeps me from my _ki_ and it **really** pisses me off."

This time both of the elder's eyebrows lifted, and to considerable height. "My apologies, I am uncertain if I heard you correctly. You stated that he seals you off during these little demonstrations of affection?"

"Affection," she scoffed, lifting her glass momentarily before setting it down. "Yeah, I did. And it's horrible because I don't really even notice it unless I try to find it, then what I find instead is _yōki_ and it feels..." she shuddered, "bweah!"

"Does this occur when he is attempting to disrobe you as well?"

"Always." As far as she had cared to notice he did the same earlier that day. "Actually, the asshole's done it when we were just kissing, too. Never in public though, funny that. I wonder if it'd be bad if he was caught sealing a _miko_ like that, at least if she was supposed to seen as a docile ally or a lover."

"Oh, he would hear plenty about such a demonstration," Sheng assured, taking a drink.

"Ah! Don't do that, it's not your turn!"

"All too true, my dear. Next round?"

Nodding, Kagome lost twice more, choosing to drink both times, and got to see the pattern of Sheng's _kimono_ under his _do_, the torso armor being set aside with a surprisingly heavy sound on the _tatami_ floor. By her next loss she was cornered, her only remaining piece of clothing being her _hakui_.

"What is this?"

Kagome looked up and to the side to see Sesshōmaru angrily standing in the room and assessing the scene, _fusuma_ already shut and Jaken staring worriedly at his side.

"It certainly took you long enough to return," the elder scoffed. "And yet not long enough."

"Hi honey," Kagome greeted with a grin, waggling her fingers up at the _daiyōkai_. Angry golden eyes turned down to her. "Sorry, I'm a little, itsy-bitsy bit tipsy."

"You are drunk, my dear," Sheng informed calmly.

"What?" Looking at him, stunned, she shook her head, feeling all of the water she had downed swishing lightly in her cranium. "No I'm not! I'm just tipsy, really!"

Sheng nodded. "Of course you are."

"_Miko_, what did you agree to?"

"A **delightful** game," she answered Sesshōmaru, smiling up at him again. He really was handsome. "You should play it someday. I forget what it's called, but it's a blast, you'd love it. I don't think that I'm good at picking out questions though..." A thought crossed her mind and she tried to pitch her voice into a whisper. Somewhere, floating in the back of the abyss that her mind had slowly become, she knew that she merely lowered her voice to normal conversational volume... "Did you know that Sheng slept with over five hundred humans? And I didn't even ask if they were all _females_. Who can _sleep_ with that many people?"

"Was this not to remain confidential, my dear?"

"Hey," she snapped, pointing a finger 'straight' at the male, "you got most of my clothes off twice in one day and the second time you didn't have to touch me, so I get some repayment in terms of pride thank you very much."

"Oh, yes," Sheng began, smiling like a fox, "I am compelled to agree with her that she is not in the least bit drunk."

"See? I _am _sober." Clapping her hands once, signifying that the matter was now taken care of, she grinned at Sesshōmaru again. "Where were you?"

The _daiyōkai _ignored her in favor of attempting homicide with his glare alone.

"Perfectly sober, Sesshōmaru _Denka_," Sheng assured, taking another drink.

"It's not your turn," she scolded, leaning forward across the table and slapping Sheng's wrist. The world spun and she found herself sitting while Sesshōmaru redid her _koshihimo_. Redirected, she slapped _his_ wrist. "Stop that."

"How **dare** you strike at Sesshōmaru-_sama_!"

"Oh shut up, he could have dodged," she groaned at Jaken, leaning her head back and finding the young male _inuyokai_'s neck. He braced her calmly and continued with the knot, taking far too long with it. It made her smile.

"You have made me rich in the currency of scowls, Sesshōmaru _Denka_."

"Stop glaring," Kagome ordered halfheartedly, blinking her eyes open and taking a conscious breath. She felt really tired. "Is it nighttime yet?"

"No," Sheng answered.

"Damn," she sighed as Sesshōmaru eased her upright, moving away soon thereafter. Giving up on the whole vertical gig she pushed her spiked water cup away and pillowed her head on one arm, resting. "It would be so awesome to be a _yōkai_."

"I advise against sleeping, dear. You may wake with a splitting pain in your head."

"All the more reason why I envy you." With a groan she turned her head on her arm, refusing to get up just yet. "But I love that you understand me, Sheng. Thank you."

"Sheng," she heard Sesshōmaru speak, sounding close by still, "when I attain my birthright, consider yourself dismissed from your position."

"You may very well come to thank me," the elder stated passively, piquing her interest over a possible secret message. "I did half expect the need to consider that punishment _now_."

This was ridiculous. No intended of Kagome's was going to behave like a jerk without her pointing it out. "Untwist your panties, Sesshōmaru," she scolded, reaching back and actually managing to smack his leg. "You should learn how to have some fun. No one likes to be stuck with an emotional stiff." Jaken just about blew a gasket at that and proceeded to squawk in tones she could not fully comprehend. Sitting upright, she tilted her head backward until seeing Sesshōmaru and grinned. "Really, there's this drinking game, about fur and facts and whatnot, you should totally play with us next time."

"There will be no 'next time'," Sesshōmaru promised. "Stand up, _miko_. We are leaving."

Uncomfortable with her position, she corrected it so she stared at the _daiyōkai _from over her shoulder. "For the _o-shiro_?"

"No."

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter _where _you decide to go since I'll have to come whether I like it or not..."

"I would recommend remaining immobile for the most part," Sheng advised as Kagome began to pick herself up.

"Oh, stop being such a mother," she sighed, straightening her legs with her palms flat on the tabletop. Standing, making her back parallel with her legs as opposed to perpendicular, she prepared a brag in her head; at least, until that particular part of her body continued the motion and began aiming for the floor. "Whoah...!"

Collapsing backward, she soon hit something like a wall that could grab her, the mental image making her burst out laughting without restraint.

"We are leaving," her wall seethed, picking her hysteric self up and turning around for the door, making her head spin.

"But I was winning," she protested, swinging her swimming head around to look for Sheng.

"Sure you were," the elder stated, winking at her and lifting his cup in salutation before the _fusuma_ snapped shut.

"I think he challenged me." Looking up at Sesshōmaru, whose face seemed set like cement, she tried to whittle an answer out of him. "Don't you think he challenged me? If he did, you should play in my place. For the facts and clothing, that is. I can stomach a bit more alcohol."

"You will stomach nothing else until the coming midday."

"What? You control-freak, I'll want dinner."

"You will no longer be conscious by then."

"Pft, I'll stay awake, just you watch." No reply came to that, so she grinned and poked his chest once. "Hah. I wins. What's my prize?"

"A long night's rest."

"Sounds boring... Hey, maybe you should tell me a fact!"

"How very optimistic of you..."

"Then take off a piece of clothing, Mister I Don't Approve Of _Sake."_ When he looked down at her she hesitated. "Actually, don't. I'm not _that_ drunk. I'll settle for a fact. Let's see, what's a good question...?"

"_Miko_..."

"Oh! Perfect!" Grabbing his chin, she found herself using it more as leverage to get into his face than to turn it down to meet hers. "Why don't you ever call me Kagome?"

The golden orbs regarded her, a silent fury burrowing into the haze in her head.

"Well?"

"You are no longer playing that game, _miko_."

"I'm trying, but you banished my playmate from Japan. Now answer my question or there will be a most terrible punishment for your insolence!"

Sesshōmaru lifted his chin out of her grasp and she fell back down into the support of his arms. Even though it was only a short distance she still grabbed at his clothing and armor in mid-fall, scared, then tried to muffle her laughs against his fur. While she was there his punishment became obvious. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pressed her face to it and bit at him, knowing he could heal so not caring how hard it was. When Sesshōmaru stopped walking she took her mouth away and watched as the red indentations disappeared, sensing his swirling _yōki_.

"I told you you'd pay. Now answer."

"_Mik_-"

"Wrong! It's Kagome."

Nuzzling his neck again, she had to tighten her hold around it when he slackened his support of her, his arm leaving her back completely. For that she licked him before nipping the lobe of his ear with the flats of her front teeth. The hand bracing her leg tightened and the other appeared on her shoulder, pulling her back.

"You're no fun," she pouted up to him, one arm still around the back of his neck. Pinching the edge of his jaw with mild annoyance, surprising herself with how much she was getting away with, she sighed and crossed her arms. "Put me down."

"Are you capable of walking?"

"I am if you don't want me to pee in your arms." After a brief staring contest he obliged her with the freedom to stand. Still sailing on an ocean of large, gradual waves in her head she planted her feet, thanked him, released his stabilizing shoulder, and walked off. It took her about ten seconds to realize that she had no idea where she was going. _"I will find a servant."_ Glancing behind herself, she saw Sesshōmaru simply standing where she had left him, watching and holding the layers of her clothing that she had _completely _forgotten were discarded. _"He's probably waiting for me to fall on my face."_ Sticking her nose up at him she veered down an adjacent corridor and began looking for a servant, her mind meandering back to her bladder. The urge to urinate wasn't too strong, but it was annoyingly **there** and being a little insistent that she do something about it, like a thin and dinky sliver or thorn that is always forgotten until it stings again.

After a good two minutes – not that her perception of time was accurate in that state – she spotted a young woman and called for her attention. The chamber pot was to be found some distance away, and by the time they got there Kagome almost fell into it in her haste to relieve herself. Finishing, she left the room lamenting the lacking ability to wash her carefully untarnished hands and walked straight into a chest.

"Whoops! I'm sor-" It was Sesshōmaru. "Oh. What are you doing standing right outside of a door? Are you not aware of the fact that humans, particularly tipsy ones, are dunces?" That earned her a quirked brow, which quickly made her grin. "Damn, I was trying to be all serious and snooty, too. Okay, where are we going? And don't pick me up, I would hate to see your entire outfit ruined by _sake_ vomit."

The manner in which he actually rolled his eyes at her had the words 'what am I going to do with this intoxicated thing' running through her head, though she _was_ merely tipsy; really, she was. After a moment he literally shooed her in the right direction, which had her giggling and hurrying along. The ocean was slowly settling, and she hated the feeling of losing her buzz.

Stopping, she turned to face the _inuyōkai_. "Can we order more drinks?"

"No."

"But you haven't had any and it doesn't count toward my eating something until morning."

"Keep walking."

Giving a little hop she hurried down the corridor he inclined his head toward, then stopped again and waited for him. "You should have some. It's _really_ good. Well, it is once your tongue's numb..."

"I humbly decline."

Scoffing, repeating that particular 'h' word he used, she jogged ahead, getting the most out of feeling lightheaded. "You're being a joykill. Or a killjoy... Um... You're killing _something_, I know that much." He did not dignify that with a response, so she huffed to herself over him. "If you were tipsy then I'd be able to have a good time, not herded down halls."

"If I was anywhere near your condition then there would no longer _be _a _shiro _for you to prance around in."

"I do **not **prance. I skip." Demonstrating, she found herself far ahead of him once again and idly thought about what he said. "Does that mean you'd transform? You know, there's an American saying thingy that with great power comes great responsibility." Another quirked eyebrow and she smirked. "A few centuries too young to understand me, aren't you?"

"I have the impression that no number of years would be sufficient."

"For me, or females in general?"

"You, _miko_."

Hurrying ahead again, she used her turned back to get her grin out of the way, pocketing it with the quirky and most likely not intended compliment. The desire to do a cartwheel came to mind but was discarded, only because she knew that she was not so completely gone as to not feel the pain of a dislocated shoulder. That, and Sesshōmaru would be a horrid nurse, complete with terrible bedside manners. _"I'd probably be knocked out **again** – that jerk – just for yelping over getting popped back into place, too. Stupid, sensitive, pointy, pretty ears."_ Blinking, she wondered where 'pretty' came from. They certainly weren't ugly, but did they deserve that adjective? Or did it come to mind because of the brief mental image of Sesshōmaru in a skimpy nurse outfit? That was disturbing, now that she focused more on it. Turning, she studied him and supposed that 'pretty' was a good word to _think_, not to _speak_. It did apply to a lot about him though. His hair was certainly pretty, if not just enviably gorgeous, and his hands had a very refined strength to them. She liked the elegant angles of his markings, too, and wondered if the permanent eyeshadow was a marking as well or just something that they did in China. His eyelashes were so long and full that it always seemed like he was wearing guyliner, too, which she had no complaints about. Not on _him_, anyway. He had very beautiful eyes, even when they _were_ glaring down at her.

"_Miko_."

That glare was _very_ close for inspection. Stepping away, coming back to herself a bit, she made to hurry along once more but found herself restrained by her upper arms. "Oye, lemme go!"

Not sure how he managed to maneuver _both_ of them around her somewhat uncoordinated feet she fell in step with him and watched the corridor slowly pass, his arm keeping her secure at his side.

"I can walk by myself..."

"Hn."

Disgruntled, she wriggled while walking. "Your armor is _very_ uncomfortable."

"That is your issue to live with."

"Well, then I'm glad that I won't have to deal with it once I leave."

"You have a task to complete."

"I will," she promised, calming down quite a bit. Maybe she _was_ acting a little hyper earlier. "But after that I am out of here faster than your mother can cast a scowl, even if I have to fling myself from that damn floating dungeon."

"You would not survive the fall." To that she offered a shrug. "Do you genuinely dislike staying at the _o-shiro_?"

Caught off guard by the question, she gave the answer some thought but definitely not enough. "Kind of. It's not an utter delight to sacrifice my personal security for some unnecessary luxuries, and the social buddies you allow me are wretched, save for Chiro, but you don't like me talking with all the nice servants." The hand on her waist tightened ever so slightly, catching her attention. "But... I suppose that it's not _too_ terrible. Just, you know, being what I am, who I am, and what everyone sees me as, it's kinda stressful. I'd never do any of this stuff without such a scenario, and not being able to be myself really kills. I can't even be myself when we're alone, you **scold** me, you **jerk**."

"Is that why you rendered yourself into this condition?"

"... Huh?"

"Hm." They continued in silence for a few steps before he spoke again. "You are behaving now as you did six summers ago. In your present condition you are more enabled to do so. Is that what you sought after?"

"No, not exactly," she mumbled, shying a little. Six years ago... She was such a child then. And now here she was, in the Emperor's _shiro_ and still acting childish, and she was _tipsy_. It was actually a bit embarrassing and she quickly became quite grateful that servants kept their eyes downcast. "It _is_ fun though... I haven't had this much fun in years." That fact made her feel a little hollow. She _did_ love her childish side, but when there were so many adult matters to attend to she sort of just forgot about her inner youth, and she missed it. _"I am only twenty-one. I should be in a college having drinking parties and enjoying life before my major takes control of a career, not floundering in the past like this... What will I do with myself when the Well works again and I go back home, or if I get stuck there?"_

With her newly found source of public humility and misery, and with him being the natural conversationalist, they made the rest of the way back without another word. It really depressed her to feel her bubble deflate, and as it did she withdrew into herself, unpleasant thoughts lurking in her self-teasing mind. What the hell did she get herself into? How stupid could she really be? And what was worse was the fact that she really wanted to feel his hand move on the dip of her damn hip again!

It wasn't until he bent down to lift her into his arms that Sesshōmaru noticed her change of mood. "What troubles you?"

"Nothing," she lied, hugging his neck for needless security before he took off, jumping the stones.

"Be honest."

"It's none of your concern." That was genuine honesty right there. Why did he pick such terrible times to pretend to care?

Making it to the pavilion, she shifted, ready to be put down, but he just walked while carrying her. "When the matter pertains to you then it **is** my concern. Now tell me before you take a bath in the pond."

Pursing her lips, she tightened her hold around him, hoping to herself that he'd choke a little. "Bully... I actually don't know why I'm sad." While thinking about it, she really didn't. In the span of five minutes she jumped blindly from innocent and bubbly and landed on feeling depressed and a little horny. "Blame the _sake_."

"I will blame your indecisive nature." Entering the separate establishment made Kagome cringe and she began to wish that the sun would just hurry up and set so she didn't have to strain her eyes in glaring at all of the... _décor_. "Your refusal to speak will limit my options, _miko_."

"I have a name," she stated in a morose grumble, stunned when a tingle teased at her eyes and nose. _"Oh, no," _she thought, pressing her face against his shoulder, hiding. _"Don't cry. Dear _kami_, if I cry then I am never drinking again. **Never**."_ Calling herself weak did not help her in her personal quest for self-improvement. To her utter horror and deepest regret she felt Sesshōmaru give her shoulder a small, almost reassuring squeeze. That lower lip of hers got the biting of its life.

"You may cry."

"No..."

"Why not?"

His casual interest seemed so misplaced. "I don't want to..."

"You will feel better once you do."

Face wrinkling with misery, finding a great source of hate for _sake_, she really hoped that he didn't notice tears seeping into his clothing. _"Pathetic..."_ Her vision blurred even further as she stared over his shoulder. _"You are being **so** pathetic right now."_

"Kagome."

The blood in her veins turned to molasses. _"Noooooo..."_ The sound of her name on his voice... Why did she ever complain over being called '_miko_', **why**? _"And it wasn't a dream last night..."_

"You should not retain such emotions."

Her hold on him tightened. _"Say it again..." _This was terrible. _"I want to hear it again."_ This was a train wreck, and she was the damn damsel in distress, _"just one more time,"_ tied up on the blasted tracks of fate and left without any damn hope of bettering the situation by herself. _"Please..."_

Movement under her brow, the distant, wonderful feeling of toned muscle shifting beneath soft skin, gave her plenty of warning that she did not heed. A warm nose nudged the outer rim of her ear, feeling upward until luscious parted lips brushed her lobe. It sent goosebumps skittering down the side of her body, tingling in the pads of her feet, their progress echoing a wonderful chime in her core.

"You need to breathe."

There was a quality to a nicely matured man's voice that was far too rare in this world, and this sample of it made her stomach tickle a little uncomfortably with desire. Inhaling, cursing her sniffles almost as much as her receptiveness to his attentions, she held onto her breath again when he intentionally brushed his cheek to hers, then ran the bridge of his nose along her brow, lifting her face up as he sought her other cheek. Feeling him make contact with a tear trail had her wincing and groaning inside with minor mortification, but it did not seem to faze him as he put his forehead to hers.

"_This can't be happening. I don't care what _inuyōkai _instinct he's satisfying because he's only making it worse, can't he tell?"_ Her mind was a mess when he kissed her brow in a comforting manner._ "And **he** thinks that **I** have the senses of a rock!"_

"You are my intended," he stated out of the blue, making her heart lurch and her middle warm as he continued to carry her down the _rōka_. "You are therefore my complete concern until your condition improves. Tell me what you need."

A kinky wish list the length of Japan leaped to the front of her mind and depression was shoved sloshing to the back burner as the front ones flared up unimpeded. It was, to some far off and unimportant degree, terrifying how she looked up, found his strong gaze, and her lips lifted to his, her body moving just a few precious inches to speak for itself. It felt so dreadfully good to have his mouth against hers, so comforting to experience his nose press against her cheek when he angled his head and returned the kiss. Moaning, maybe whimpering with frayed emotions, her eyes slid shut, heightening her sense of touch. It was like air, pure and powerful and so relieving that it hurt in her chest to have it again. _"I love this far too much."_ The tip of her tongue passed cautiously along the crease of his lips, tasting him, wanting more than she was willing to admit. _"I am so easy... Is my self worth really this low? We haven't even been doing this for half a month so far and yet-!"_

Lips parted and a bold warmth met her oral probing, feeling her with minimal invasion. When it retreated she grabbed the back of his neck and pursued, moaning in her throat with horrid wanting as she deepened their kiss, her heart quivering with excitement and using up enough oxygen to give her a different sort of high. It was weird how satisfying it was to hear her breath rush out of her nose against his face, how much she enjoyed the way his hand flexed on the underside of her thigh, sliding slightly toward her bottom. _Yōki_ stirred to life, enveloping her in a familiar yet severely slowed manner, remaining on the surface of her skin and not suppressing her slightly sparking energy.

In the back of her mind she acknowledged a _shōji_ opening when his pace paused, her eyelids dimming with a lack of sunlight in the course of one step, and the same _shōji _slid shut.

"_We are alone..."_

The thought sent a heat throughout her, triggering some delicious yet unwelcome imaginative sequences as their lips wrestled. Pulling away from him would be a healthy move for her, but instead she allowed him to settle her bottom on the bedding, and she even went as far as to ensnare him in her arms and pull him down over her with an open mouth groan when he interrupted their oral embrace. Her heart was completely insane, galloping giddily in her chest upon feeling his hands indent the bedding on either side of her for support, and while kissing him she reclined fully on the massive _futon_. The warmth in her middle had built itself now into an insistent flutter and she hummed to him, feeling content and wanting to keep him with her like this. There was little rational thought in her head, she knew that, but all the same she wanted to finally enjoy him, the desire urgent and undeniably **there **and so easy to listen to, especially when his free hand slid down her side and into the dip of her hip again, just as she had desired earlier. It would all feel so much better if he didn't have that damn armor on.

"This," she stated simply on his lips, hooking fingers on the rim of the metal surrounding his torso and tugging it, hoping it pressed down into his back and caught his attention. It was so annoying when his face lifted away from her and he got up onto his knees, but she found herself to be very forgiving when he reached under his fur and right arm and gave a slight tug, his armor shifting loose. Heart hiccuping while eagerness frolicked and jumped her nerves into hyper drive, she watched as swords were discarded, the ridiculous length of sash cinching his hips was undone, and armor was tossed aside piece by heavy piece. The show was delightful, a smile playing across her face as she lounged with her upper body braced on one elbow. _"I really should not be encouraging this." _By the time his waist was free of the_ kusazuri_, his clothing a consistent white with knots that appeared oddly bland compared to his complete outfit, she couldn't help but to sit up and reach out, her fingers sliding onto him and dipping past the crossed _eri_ at his throat, sliding her touch across his skin and highly preferring it over the silk he draped himself in. It was nice by her acknowledgment to feel sexy, to try and do some of the wooing. When he bent back down over her, meeting her lips with a low and soft growl as she willingly rolled to her back for him, she became very aware of her femininity and the way it slowly, gently pulsed with eagerness to be touched, lowering her guard and lulling toward temptation as her senses were dominated by his presence and her wanting. A shudder coursed through her when his hand touched between her hip and bellybutton, the contact unexpected in the surprisingly sensitive area. As his palm smoothed over the plain of her clothed abdomen her body quivered slightly, unable to tense at that moment, and she turned her face away, catching a noise in her throat on a deep inhale and gripping his upper arm; when she grabbed him was beyond her recollection. _"I **really** should not be encouraging this!"_

"Relax."

His warm breath met her neck half a moment before his lips did, the touch almost casual in nature as he resumed feeling her stomach. The sensations had her experiencing small, location precise seizures where he felt her, but as he continued without variation she began to breathe regularly, calming under his attentions, and lifted her chin for him. It felt nice. _"I **want** to feel this."_ Sesshōmarumoved against her and for the first time in quite a while the firmed length of his most masculine feature rubbed against her inner leg, sending her unappeased nether regions into quite the tizzy. _"**And** that."_ The contact pressed firmly against the apex of her legs, rubbing her arousal. Expression relaxing, she groaned with dizzying delight at the touch and relaxed beneath him, accepting the moment as her hands slid up to hold his back and the nape of his neck. The fabrics over her legs shifted, cool air creeping against exposed skin. Fingertips touched down on the unkempt font of her femininity for the second time that day and she jolted, reality trying to elbow its way into the moment. _"We **are** alone."_ "Wait-"

"Do not deny me this small pleasure," he ordered, his tone demanding despite the small strain in his voice, and he found her mouth with his lips, his hand dipping down between her legs and carefully backtracking, clawed fingers sliding to nestle between the folds of her femininity over her most sensitive point. Pangs of pleasure echoed against themselves throughout her midriff and Kagome about had a heart attack of excitement over the sensation, moaning as he tickled her pearl, coaxing it oh so tenderly in its confined quarters. There was simply not enough oxygen in the air between their faces as he pleased her, her body absolutely thriving in the moment. The contact was so overwhelming that she could not have cared less when he leaned away from her; it was probably to watch her shift in irregular bursts of bliss, but it was difficult to know from behind closed eyes.

Fur brushed her cheek before sneaking its way around her shoulders, pillowing her head, and the tie of her _koshihimo_ loosened before he casually opened her _hakui _with his one free hand_._ Cold air flooded in, summoning goosebumps to prickle her skin. Wondering if he enjoyed that possibly odd sight – _"Do inuyōkai react like that to the cold, or do they just block it all out?"_ – she tried not to flinch as he pinched a perky peak between two fingers, sending off the most delicate sensation of pain and making her shudder. _"This is going so very far..." _A measure of disappointment tinted her mood when the pinching ceased. Cracking her eyes open, feeling a little drugged by sensation, she nearly swallowed her tongue upon seeing the relaxed desire written across his face as he watched her chest heave. It was, by far, the sexiest thing she had ever seen. _"And **that** is tickling me down there. Hot damn!"_ Sesshōmaru shifted himself, rubbing against her again, and finally met her eyes. The open attention made her lips twitch into a smile, and to her delight he offered a small, easy smirk before intensifying what he did between her legs. That had her surrendering to blindness in an instant and he grabbed the so far neglected mound of her chest, squeezing gently before taking the other into his hot mouth.

"Oh _kami_," she mewled as he sucked on her swell, her head pressing back into the fur as he treated her body like it were the best and most cherished toy a male could find. _"Oh, I'm sure it is."_ It felt so good. "Don't stop..." _"Did I really just say that?" _A grin nearly split her face as she turned her head in another small throe of passion, her hips lifting slightly against his hand. _"Yes I did!"_ Glancing down, wanting to see him again, she couldn't have been happier to watch him enjoying her with his eyes shut, even when she greedily raised her chest into his face, wanting all the attention he could give. Her efforts resulted in a tightened grasp from his hand on her chest and a low groaning growl.

Self-control was quickly becoming a thing of the past as his confidence reassured her. Reaching over a perfectly sculpted shoulder she slid her fingertips firmly down his fabric covered back. The simple deed had his body stiffening and actions pausing as a particularly low growl reverberated around them, fitting in nicely with his fluctuating _yōki_. Wanting the small of his back, which lay a good half foot out of reach, she massaged her fingers into his neck and he carefully nipped around the delicate, tinted zone of her chest, not breaking her skin, and she was pleasantly surprised when he pressed his face down against her while continuing. All of it made her want more, and her knee lifted up and angled away, giving his hand better access.

"_Oh, **why** didn't I let him go this far before now?"_

Yet again she found herself blaming the _sake_ for her lessened inhibitions. All of those spoiled encounters, all of those painful moments of being on the brink of acceptance before denying them both. On a particularly strong twang of delight her heels dug into the bedding and she lifted her hips up, his fingers sliding off their target and down to some very jealous and forbidden area. As they hovered there he lifted away from her chest, cool air teasing the moisture left behind, and met her gaze, waiting.

It was almost painful to come so close to that point, so very, very close, only to freeze up with uncertainty. _"It's too much..."_ She really wished that it wasn't. _"Although I **should** be starting my period soon... Maybe..."_

A smirk tweaked the corners of Sesshōmaru's mouth – the second sexiest sight in her world – when he ignored her nicely tingling chest in favor of kissing her again, something she greatly approved of. As their mouths waged wonderful war she felt his hand take initiative, exposing her nether valley and skimming across it in the course of two seconds. It was thrilling to experience him blindly feeling around both of her sets of lips, soon making her amazed by the amount of moisture his finger gathered and spread.

As his hand gently splayed her femininity open she came back a little, breaking the kiss. "Your nails," she pointed out, breath laboring a little through her mouth, and he paused. There was no way that he could play in such an area with such appendages, not without visual aid anyway. _"Why am I not floored by such a concept? This is __**Sesshōmaru**__."_ With the fun interrupted she tried to tuck away her unruly emotions, tried to piece together the shattered jar her self-control was stored in for easy access, and failed, settling instead for watching him get up and move with obvious intent down toward her groin. Her eyes nearly burst as she caught the back of his clothing, making him look back at her. _"Don't you __**dare**__ go down there!" _Her mind had that phrase ready, but her mouth had other plans as she tugged lightly at the fabric over his back. "T-take this off." _"... That works. Yes, I will __**happily**__ settle for that sentence."_

"That will merely encourage me to break our agreement."

"What agree-?" It was baffling to think that he so kindly still remembered such a thing. "Oh, like I care about _that _at this point," she replied, tugging at the fabric again. "I want to see at least _half_ of you after all this time. You owe me that much."

Pondering her for a moment as though wondering over what to do, he finally got up onto his knees – which had shifted down to her calves before she had caught him – and the giant fluffy pelt moved to hold her mostly naked figure. Feeling the soft fur, running her fingers through it, she watched as Sesshōmaru's eyes slid shut under the attentions of her hands, a calm settling on his face, and she grinned over attaining the undeniable fact that he _could_ feel it. The expression was soon gone though and despite her best efforts to get it back he drew his arms out of the sleeves of his clothing, into the confining fabric layered over his chest, and crossed them for a moment against his torso. Kagome had to admit that watching him pry the cloth away from himself, pulling the fixated layers up past the ties secured around his waist, was extremely sexy. She wished in part that he had been standing and wearing a full length and freely hanging _kimono_ so as to add in the lift of the hem as he pulled up the fabric, but seeing the material hang loose on him was alluring enough. Watching perfectly toned shoulders shrug out of the slack clothing, flexing his entire torso in the act, had her sucking her lower lip as the fabric fell down to his narrow waist.

"_Sesshōmaru is stripping his magazine-shaming body for me."_ Her heart was beating in her throat as she lounged where he had left her, somewhat enchanted by the enticing display as her gaze molested every inch of bare skin that it could find. While he finished tucking some excessively long fabric up into the ties around his hips, muscles shifting as he did so, he met her gaze, a steady control emanating from him, and she just about lost it. It was not fair to tease her ripe body like this, making new parts of her brain awaken with immense interest and shunning logic and self-control into temporary deactivation. Really, what was the harm in having a _little_ bit of fun? _"Feh, you slut..."_ She could not stop smirking.

When he finished tucking fabric away she got to her own knees to meet him where he knelt, finally freeing her arms from the sleeves of her _hakui _and leaving the pelt behind. Seeing was one thing, but feeling was believing, and she nigh religiously pursued belief of the situation. Running her hands around his sides, feeling his back and up his chest, and sliding her hands up, cupping his shoulder and neck, she pulled him down and distracted him with a needy kiss. He gave his consent to be sidetracked by wrapping her in his strong arms and tugging her naked self against his toned body, growling deep in his throat while her hands tried to feel everywhere at once. Brushing her nails along his back, enjoying the sensations of having him with her, kissing her, feeling her, _wanting_ her... Ending the kiss, she moved her attentions to his neck, nipping him lightly before taking his skin into her mouth. His hold on her tightened, her body held flush against his, and she smoothed her hands along major muscles in his torso, teasing his abdomen occasionally with her thumbs, humming to him that she was very happy with this. The small shudder she felt throughout his frame was positively amazing and she did her best to summon it again, failing to _only_ because of him grabbing her bottom and moving her to straddle one of his legs, his breathing becoming heavier as he stared over her shoulder, allowing her to molest him.

As much as she didn't want to go too far, and as much as she somewhat wished that they hadn't gotten even _this_ far, Kagome had to admit that she was having the time of her life and willingly continued to sacrifice her sense of morale for the sake of momentary pleasure, wanting to enjoy him, wishing to surrender herself for just a little bit longer, just a little bit more. Feeling the small of his back, gracing a tiny dimple, she slid her hand down and gripped his bottom in return. She could have giggled for the reaction her body gave in feeling that part of him.

The strong hand holding her rear twitched lightly in response, tightening its grip. "Kagome..."

"You are the sexiest thing I have ever seen," she whimpered against his neck, her mind a wonderful blank as her body trembled with a needy moan. Unabashed, she slid down his thigh and he slowly pulled her back up, rubbing her against his clothing in a way that had her nails flexing against his skin. Shifting on her knees, she began to grind herself where it was most satisfying, making her question how far she _was _willing to take things. As she lightly pleased herself on him, again sucking on his neck and fingering his torso while she was at it, he trembled with remarkable restraint, hands motionless on her as she plagued him. He was being a gem, not attacking her with natural urges... Unfortunately, that simply would not do. "Sesshōmaru," she breathed into his ear, firmly grasping his hip and back while rubbing herself against him, "you should touch me more."

The sound of him swallowing had her inhaling deeply against his throat, her heart a flutter. "This is near my limit."

"You _have_ one?" The tease was gentle, but it made his grip on her rear twitch. She did not want this to stop. There was so much she wanted to experience with him, so much willingness blossoming within her. If he denied her then she did not know what she would do. "How dare you develop one when mine is shattered."

"_Miko_-"

"No," she stated firmly, quickly cutting his _yōki_ with her _ki_ and pushing him from his knees onto his back. Despite his bared teeth and vicious snarl over the small attack she followed him down, splaying herself across his naked chest before bottling her _ki_. "Do _not_ start calling me that again." As her hand pet his side his expression slowly softened. When she kissed his chest his claws stopped pricking her bottom. "I want you to touch me, Sesshōmaru," she stated, emphasizing her want with rubbing herself against his hardened warmth, "and I do not want you to stop."

"Our agreement-"

"Can go burn for an eternity," she finished, pulling herself up with the hanging tips of her chest brushing his taunt skin and tucking her face to the side of his neck. "I accept you as my intended. Why won't you touch me?"

She knew what she was getting herself into. In fact she was painfully aware of it. She was far too gone though, far beyond the brink of caring, and in that unfamiliar zone of desire she functioned for the sake of satisfaction. It was wonderful to feel his hand slide up her bare back, to feel his hips lift as he rubbed himself against her. The desperation she felt for him, felt for knowing more, was nigh suffocating. She moaned when he pulled her down closer, his second hand appearing to keep her upper bottom in place as she felt his arousal between her legs again.

"_Consequences?"_ His hand rand down her back to cup her hip as she kissed him, her hair slipping off her shoulders and curtaining down to brush the sides of his face. Humming against his mouth, loving the way he felt against her, she found a knot at his waist and began to pluck at it. _"I **am **near my period, but... Why do I not care? It's sorta funny..." _There was no denying at that moment how utterly horny she was for him.

Clawed fingers joined hers over his abdomen, tugging free the knots and flicking aside the undone ties. Leaving that part up to the expert she giggled to him, knowing what was coming and eager for it, and kissed his throat while running her nails down his sides. The groan he uttered was music to her ears.

Being rolled to her back was far more arousing than she anticipated, so when he leaned away from her it was a huge disappointment. Looking up at him she caught a small frown on his brow as he regarded her, his package unwrapped and impressing her quite a bit.

"What's wrong?" A muscle in his jaw jumped up, signaling his clenching teeth as his eyes scanned her figure, and to her horror he looked away and stood. "Sesshōmaru?" When he pulled his loose _hakama_ back into order and began to redo the ties her heart leaped with dread, with enough fear and violation that it was akin to being mugged. _"How dare he steal away this opportunity!"_ "What the Hell? Why are you stopping?"

"Your judgment is hindered," he stated, voice deadpan with resignation. "This is taking advantage of your condition."

"This is taking advantage of something else," she stated angrily, getting to her feet. It was a sight for the ages to see Sesshōmaru, half dressed and on the defense, take a backward step away from a naked approaching human. She was having none of it and grabbed the ties and hanging layers of his upper clothing around his waist, pulling herself to him and directing a stern expression upward. "You try so often, you get yourself into my head, you slaughter the army of my defenses, and now you try and leave me with _nothing_?" Quite peeved, she pulled loose the two knots he had managed to redo and pushed the wound _himo_ down his hips, making the fabric fall. "You are giving me _something_, Sesshōmaru. I do not care how intoxicated you believe I am, this is far from smashed. All you are seeing is my lowered inhibitions, not me being irrational."

"You do not wish to have sex."

Rolling her eyes, she reached down and felt the length of his excitement, touching it gently and kissing his chest. "Stop believing my lies, Sesshōmaru." Her period was far too close to be avoided, the proper hormones already functioning to induce it. "I dare you to just _try_ to get me pregnant. You will fail miserably, and I will enjoy every second of it."

The way his palm slid down her hip to her bottom as he pulled her to him, the hunger expressed when he kissed her, the way he rubbed himself against her lower abdomen- He was not going to stop this time. It excited her without limitation. Returning the kiss, feeling him with want for a few seconds, she stopped with a coy smile and pulled away, teasing him by hurrying to sit by his pelt and quickly gathering it into her arms. The fur was hardly settled in her lap before Sesshōmaru was there, demanding her direct attentions and even pushing her down onto her back while bracing himself over her.

Wanting him to definitely not retreat again, she took the lobe of his ear into her mouth, sliding her hands around his body while hugging his waist with her thighs. Her breath caught when something warm, large, and firm under a velvet texture cushion pressed against her pearl. He shifted over her, pinning her to the bedding, and nestled lower between her thighs, finding her entrance. There was no hesitation as he pushed himself inside, pulling out slightly as she flinched and hugged him, biting the meat of his shoulder. It was terribly painful to have herself open to such a size, to have a limited source of natural lubrication, and she winced when he thrust back in.

Whining to him, loving the painful penetration, she endured the violation with a willing want and tightened her hold around his back as he steadily rode her. Fingers found her pearl once more and enticed the small knot of nerves as he thrust himself up between her splayed legs, not stopping but offering something more. The touch proved to be a wonderful distraction as her body gradually lubricated his actions, and when he stopped the tickling she reached down and resumed, groaning as he nuzzled her neck and repeatedly spread her inner walls with his girth. It still hurt, but not as badly with the distraction, and under that thin layer of pain lay a blissful ocean of undulating pleasure, the waves crashing against her conscious with each thrust. As time slid away from their lovemaking a small voice in the back of her head could not accept what she was doing. She drowned it as sufficiently as possible, not wanting to break the mood. As she tickled herself the sensations mounted up, inspiring her to make more pathetic little noises beneath him while writhing lightly and holding his sides with her knees. Teeth slid into the skin of her neck, piercing in a distant, almost pleasant way, and he held her in place while quickening their pace, the act hurting but her body too built up to acknowledge the pain. With a strained cry she climaxed, lifting herself up to him and locking around his torso as her walls clamped down in pulsating grasps, her cervix dropping to receive whatever enticed her into that state. As she gasped, her throat closing irregularly around her whimpering exhales, she felt Sesshōmaru continue at the normal pace, the sensation somewhat painful after her body's response.

Forcing herself to relax once more, genuinely enjoying him while trying to catch her breath, she groaned with a thrust every now and again and licked the side of his neck, not able to do much more as he held her in place with his teeth. Hearing his breath so close, knowing what they were doing and accepting it completely, she felt a sense of endearment toward him as they continued, wanting him to have his own climax and touching various parts of his body with want, loving the feel of his muscles as he labored over and inside of her. She could have reached down and pleasured herself into another orgasm, but instead she savored the dull sting of their lovemaking and kept in mind what he was doing. The hand bracing her hip eventually tightened its hold, nails pricking her skin, and his thrusting became deeper, somewhat faster, and the way his teeth clamped a little closer around her skin had her giving a small cry that turned into a groan under the attention.

A heavy grunt eased into a long groan as he push himself deeply inside of her, a sharp pain resulting from the contact of his tip with her cervix, and he held there with a taunt body, his hand flexing its restraining hold on her hip as his bite clamped hard on the side of her neck. It hurt her, but the moment was too nice for her to interrupt it with pain.

Seconds passed as she held him, her heart still racing as she felt his muscles slowly relax. Sesshōmaru remained inside of her, small trembles echoing through his limbs as his breath rushed in and out against her skin. She marveled at his bodily response to their sinful actions, amazed that _anything_ could render him into such a state of breathlessness, and traced her fingers over the muscles stretched across his back, still hugging him. Shifting, she groaned when he gave a languid thrust, the action comparatively gentle. Without exiting he released her neck, licked it almost raw, and settled down into her embrace, his head pillowed on her shoulder and hair as he continued to catch his breath. The surrender of his endurance clutched at her heart, even as the muscle under her ear resonated with a dull ache and his presence inside of her permitted a sore throb at every heartbeat. With the pain came some returning, sober sense. She just had sex with Sesshōmaru. His seed was inside of her and mindlessly going through with nature's design. She just took a huge, irrevocable risk depending on the nature of _yōkai _genetics, and she accepted it by still being on her back and letting him remain within her. It was a curiosity, her contentment with what they had just done.

Smiling, as though her subconscious had all the answers and found her resurfacing worries to be silly, she brushed her fingers through Sesshōmaru's hair and kissed his brow, loving him at that moment. After a minute of relaxing she gently called his name, her voice soft and weary.

"Hm?"

He had never responded like that before, and it softened her silly worries for some reason. He sounded so tired. Enthralled with the moment, she scratched his head, making him shift slightly before sighing and relaxing once more. "What happens now?"

He took a deep, steady inhale near her ear, not responding immediately. "We sleep."

Smiling at him, she sought to test his morale while his mind and body were at ease. "What if this _does_ get me pregnant?"

Nuzzling his nose into her hair, he sighed and took one of her swells into hand, the action so casual that she actually took comfort in it. "Then you will bear my first pup."

That made her outright grin. Nothing seemed to faze him, and that helped her to banish the little worries. "I would not be able to return as a _miko _to my village," she admitted, taking her turn to sigh while playing with his hair. A casual and carefree air seemed to fill her head, making her smile at nothing. "Whatever would I do?"

"Stay with me."

The words were cryptic, a fitting answer but said in a manner that could have been a complete change of subject. It pulled at her heartstrings. "I would not be able to."

"Your presence would not taint my image." He was mumbling, his heartbeat still thundering against her chest.

"It would," she argued gently, saddened by the fact. "I also have my own duties to attend to in life. Remember, I am leaving after fighting with Meiling."

Sesshōmaru picked himself up, pulling out of her with a final little thrill of sensation, and settled onto his side next to her, his manhood still enlarged. "We may discuss this further after sunrise."

Daring a smirk, she rolled to face him and smoothed a hand down his chest. "Did I tire you out?"

Not opening his eyes, he reached and pulled her close to him, holding her. "I am not completely without energy."

Giggling a little, she nuzzled into his chest and enjoyed the afterglow. Tomorrow. That was a good time to begin caring about what they had done. He radiated heat, warming her front. It was not until some few minutes later, when his fur pressed up against her backside, that she realized how cold she was getting. Familiar fabric accompanied the pelt, and Sesshōmaru briefly stopped holding her in order to blanket the material over her body. Being cared for felt nice, so with a hum she cuddled to him, loving how his arm fitted around her once more, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>It was very good that his young female had an appetite for sleep, because Sesshōmaru had plenty to think about and not enough time in the night to resolve a thing. There was <em>one <em>thing, however, that _was_ resolved, and quite favorably so. Kagome had finally succumbed to her desires, had welcomed and even demanded his advances. They had unofficially mated. It was exactly what Sesshōmaru had sought after. Now, after fully experiencing the little _miko _and satiating his curiosity, he could detach his insistent attentions from her and focus on the important matters in his life.

In a short matter of time the males in the barracks would begin to shift loyalty. Abandonment was not an issue, not with the policies in place, but matters needed to change or there would be a greater threat to the Western Lands than Sesshōmaru was willing to tolerate. To satisfy the soldiers he needed to draw in compatible females and alter trade flow for the rapid creation of fort towns to host the budding familial packs. How to obtain these females without Meiling's connections was a small issue, one that had no perfect solution, but solutions _did_ exist. The problem was deciding which answer had the least aggressive and shortest lasting disastrous results.

With Meiling gone the other three females would most likely leave as well. Only two of the officers stationed throughout Sesshōmaru's territory were without a mate. It would be fitting to invite them, along with a few others and their mates, to an official two-day meeting with the eligible females in attendance with Sesshōmaru and Meiling. If one or both of the officers took a female off of Sesshōmaru's hands then that would give him more connections to work with. This would, however, require that the officers discover Kagome, and that was a risk.

"_She wishes to leave."_ That displeasing thought did affect matters. _"I will respect that decision."_

How to best use his accomplice before the inevitable was impossible to accurately decide. There were too many paths that fate could take and too many individuals with freewill affecting the ultimate outcome; especially the _miko_.

The _miko_... He would have to officially name her his intended once they returned, and he would have to behave as though he believed it; in public, at the very least, and the day's practice had proven to be very fruitful and encouraging. Also, with her consent to unofficial mating, things would play out more smoothly from then on and keep his problems to a minimum while he fought with fate.

As the night fully settled the clouds opened to douse the earth with rain. Sesshōmaru lay awake and listened to the distant drumming of water on the solidly built roof, making what minor decisions he could, but remaining awake proved to be an issue. For some damnable reason his mind wanted to detach until sunrise, to remain undisturbed while he slept with his intended – imprinting her scent, the feel of her sleeping in his arms, the sounds of her heartbeat and breathing, his smell mingling with hers between her legs – but there was no chance that he was going to submit to that desire. To sleep now, when his attention regularly fixated on the female, would have him bond to her as a mate. It was a natural process to imprint, and the ease of doing so was treacherous. That was the only reason he never allowed himself to fall asleep with Meiling.

The female in his arms did, in time, consume his thoughts, and he needlessly devised and discarded several methods of changing her mind to leave the _o-shiro_. Each plan had too great of consequences and a handful even required many deaths. Why his mind enjoyed idling around that subject was confusing and bothersome. Really, if she wished to leave then that was her choice to make so long as her purpose was fulfilled, and even if she did depart he would be able to pursue conversation with her on his lunar cycle visits. Not that such a pursuit was mandatory, or even necessary. It would simply be a small indulgence, one he would most likely ignore if it ever came about. Come to think of it, why should anything pertaining to her be considered an indulgence?

Thoughts cycled like that as the night aged, interrupted only by his noticing of the female's small noises as she slept. At some point he turned onto his back, pillowing his own head with his free arm, and after a short time she found and cuddled up against him, shuddering lightly after slipping away from the fur and _hakui_. The night _was_ cold, likley enough to turn the rain to snow. Somewhat concerned for her well-being, he grabbed up her _hakui_ and draped it over her once more before covering it with his pelt. It would be a shame if she were to fall to a human illness.

"_She will die soon regardless."_ That was humanity's saving grace for the sake of the world, to have individuals die after a few decades and before their abused intelligence doomed them all. It was nature's way to have the older perish at a similar rate of offspring births and make room for the new generation on the limited amount of land they had to occupy. They were selfish creatures though, enough so that they could take everything for the sake of possessing it then find dissatisfaction in not having more. A selfless human was very rare to find.

The night had aged quite a bit before Sesshōmaru figured that the time of departure was upon them. Sitting up, the _miko_ groaned at being moved and brought her arm back to herself, huddling around it. The warmth of where it had been slowly began to fade on his chest.

In a short amount of time he stood and began to dress, glancing over every now and then to see the sleeping female. Even while standing he desired to lay back down, engulf her in his arms, and sleep the night away. There was little comfort in telling himself that the desire would pass, given time. "_Miko_."

The female stirred, groaning as she shifted her legs, and her eyes slid open. "Is it time to leave?"

"Yes," he answered her weary question, finishing with tying the _hakama himo_ around his waist. "Get dressed."

With a moan she sat up and blindly navigated her arms into the _hakui_. "Where is the rest of my clothing?"

"To your left." Once he finished dressing himself the _miko_ managed to put on her _hanjuban_ and was having balance issues in the dark on the bedding for wrapping the _susoyake _around her waist.

"It is cold."

It was, but there was no reason to state such a thing, let alone to give a reply to such a blunt comment. Sesshōmaru ended up assisting the _miko_ with dressing, receiving a small word of thanks when he finished, and left her to figure out her footwear. It was not long before they exited the building and, in the faint light of predawn, took off on a cloud of _yōki_.

"It is finally snowing," the female commented as white fell sparsely around them, the storm dissipating. The city quickly revealed itself as they rose above the wall of the Emperor's _shiro_. "Will we be seen?"

"No."

"It _is_ light enough to see by, to some degree."

"Our passing will not create a shadow. The humans will not bother to look upward."

With a nod of understanding on her part the _miko_ cast her gaze across the city they lifted over. "It seems so small compared to the future."

Another unnecessary comment. This time his lack of a reply made her sigh and stare a little more downward. Eventually she took a seat and did not show any interest in the surroundings. Perhaps she did not obtain enough sleep.

Traveling was accomplished with minimal conversation. The next words to be heard came from Sesshōmaru in announcing their proximity to the _o-shiro_, a queue that the _miko_ understood and responded to. Standing at his side once again, the sun casting her shadow straight against him as it stood above the horizon, she finally spoke.

"Will I need to do anything in particular or behave in a certain manner?"

"I will announce my acceptance of your claim," he informed, watching as soldiers stirred at their posts upon spotting him from the distant _o-shiro_. One ran inside, perhaps to relay Sesshōmaru's return. "You are to act as my intended from now on."

"Adoring, smug and self-entitled?"

"That will suffice."

"Alright then." In a few moments another sigh passed through her nose as she stared straight ahead. "I do not believe we have time right now, but I want to discuss something with you in private once you get the chance."

"Is it urgent?"

"Um... Not really, no."

"Then we will converse later in the day."

Again she settled for a nod, and they passed through the _o-shiro_'s barrier in silence to alight in the courtyard with a small audience. His mother was the vision of serenity save for a small strain in her eyes, making him expect sharp words in the near future. Meiling stood like a smoldering statue nearby, hands held in fists at her sides, and the tempted trio stood fanned from one another behind the two higher ranked females, curiosity, anger, and hope mingling on their faces. For some reason Sheng had returned in the middle of the night, Jaken nowhere to be seen, and Le, the head general of the officers, stood with his arms crossed near the elder, his permanent irked expression particularly sour. Chiro was also there for some reason, appearing very unnerved.

The instant his _yōki_ disappeared from beneath his feet, the essence recollecting into its docile state, his mother began to speak. "Welcome, son. There are some matters to discuss, but first..."

It happened far too quickly for Sesshōmaru to retaliate. _Yōki_ engulfed him and severed his connection, shocking his thoughts into utter stillness as the essence ceased flowing throughout his body. The next instant, by the time he recognized the oppressive _yōki_ belonging to the two elder males, his vision went black. Moments passed, his head ringing urgently, and he blinked, the action stimulating his vision, and coughed when something trickled down his throat. He was laying on his back on the cold polished stone, staring at the gray clouds above.

"-ot speak out of turn," his mother scolded, the first part of her statement lost to him. "Keep your humanity to yourself, _miko_. Chiro, take her away."

Tasting blood, Sesshōmaru picked himself up, his swimming head keeping him seated, and felt at his face. His nose was broken several times over and his upper lip had been pierced by being indented into his left canine. Meiling stood before him, still appearing livid, her knuckles white.

"You abandoned me," she seethed, her face a mask of fury when he finally looked up at her, blood running down the lower half of his face. "You know what your duties are, yet you threw them away without the courtesy of a warning! Does Japan mean so little to you? Do _I_ mean so little to you?"

There was no hope of him being able to defend himself while blocked as he was. The elder males were very experienced and did not leave even the smallest of gaps for Sesshōmaru to reconnect with his _yōki_. Noticing the _miko_ being herded away by a worried and pleading Chiro, the human appearing quite traumatized by the sight of him from over her shoulder – he _was_ floored and sufficiently injured – he felt the urge to prove himself more capable than she was being lead to believe. The sight of her was denied to him though when Meiling stepped sideways.

"**Look** at me when I am speaking to you, _intended_, or I will be sure to use your present condition to its full extent against you."

As grating as it was, Sesshōmaru was left with no agreeable options. Meeting Meiling's gaze again, his acknowledgment of her seemed to ease some of her anger; meaning that blood began to flow back into her bent knuckles.

"I have been very patient with you," she stated, her tone of voice undergoing no improvement. "I have lived here now for more than six summers by arrangement of our superior elders, and I have done my best to prove to you that I care for this outpost and your family pack. You have neglected me, Sesshōmaru. I have been doing my duties as the future alpha female, have monitored our status with the mainland and with the human and local _yōkai_ societies. I have attended meetings, lead debates for prudent decisions, allocated resources as necessary, and have even prepared the mandatory documents for the betterment of this outpost once we are mated."

To Sesshōmaru's immense surprise Meiling actually began to cry, her face wincing only slightly as the rest of her refused to notice the emotional breakdown.

"I want to enter my heat, Sesshōmaru. I have grown to care for you, and I am receptive. It is difficult with the present alpha no longer coming into season for a mate, but I am **trying**. I am doing so much for this territory, am focusing so hard on becoming a good mate for you, and what do you show to me for your gratitude?" Glaring, Meiling turned to reveal a shocked Kagome and a wincing Chiro, who seemed to be suffering from some _ki_ exposure. The fact that Sesshōmaru could not sense the _ki_ in that condition was troubling. "A human _miko_ as competition! I will **gladly** engage her now for the right to mate you, but you were both gone on the traditional night for such feuds! I was not even honored the right to state my own entitlement to you for days!" The look Meiling gave him had Sesshōmaru wondering if he would live much longer. "You have insulted me, Sesshōmaru, and I will **not** tolerate it any longer. You are _my_ intended, as I am yours. With that comes responsibility. You are responsible for your duties, and one of those is to **me**. I do not care **what** that _human_ says, I do not even care what she _does _with you, but she is _not_ something that comes between **us**."

The level of pain in his face was becoming quite incredible. Unwilling to make his stomach tolerate more blood he looked away from Meiling to spit some out onto the white courtyard and took a few moments to stand. Once stable, or at least relatively so, he blinked down at the female _inuyōkai _and waited.

Meiling's eyes narrowed up at him.

This moment was coming far too early, yet far too late. Steeling himself to whatever came, knowing that being in such a condition made the preparation useless, he directed his gaze to his mother. "I officially and irrevocably accept the _miko_'s claim on me as her intended mate."

The silence was complete. Several eyes could not possibly grow any wider. Sheng lowered his head with disappointment, his mother glared as though trying to make Sesshōmaru catch fire, and before he could properly assess the three females and their reactions that overwhelming darkness clapped shut around his mind and refused to release him.

* * *

><p>"<em>This is <strong>not<strong> good,"_ Kagome thought, absolutely stunned to watch Meiling punch Sesshōmaru in the face _again_. The _yōki_ surrounding him was obviously not his own, because for the second time in just as many minutes he fell to the courtyard from the _yōki _strengthened attack, and this time he did not get back up. Actually, the fact that he was able to get up the _first_ time after what had happened to his face, and that he could do so without crying out or wincing or tearing up, was a huge testament to his endurance, so seeing him laying prone on the ground was not too surprising but still... _"This is **so** not good."_

Kagome flinched and looked up as a shadow crossed her, only to see Meiling struggling against Sheng's hold on her wrists.

"You will have your chance to fight on the next new moon," he informed, sounding strained as the female bucked against his hold, snarling like an animal after blood.

Taking her safety into consideration, Kagome quickly stepped away from the flailing female with red eyes and lengthened nails. It was terrifying to know that Meiling could move so quickly, and with a worried glance she noticed that even though the smothering _yōki_ from around Sesshōmaru was gone he still did not stir from where he lay somewhat sprawled on the large and seamless stone tiles. The perturbed seeming male, of his semi-middle years by all appearances, was knelt next to Sesshōmaru, his _yōki _stirring around the younger male's pelt for some reason.

"Le, I ask that you deliver my rebellious pup to his quarters," Sesshōmaru's mother stated, sounding a little tired after witnessing this. "The servants may deposit him properly into his bed after you drop him off."

"No!" Seeming to calm, her eyes turning mostly white, Meiling shook Sheng off as he loosened his grip and turned from Kagome to address the Western Lady. "Take him to _my_ quarters! He needs to bond with me!"

"I am afraid that you are too out of control for me to consider that possibility," the alpha female stated calmly. "If you did not so thoroughly break his face _and_ make an attempt on the _miko_'s life then I would have considered it. I will have guards stationed around his quarters until he awakens. You will not be permitted to see him before then."

"Do not act out," Sheng warned Meiling, seeming quite stern. "If you need to vent then leave to do so."

"I will," the female replied bitterly, turning angry eyes at Kagome. "We will have a discussion later."

Kagome blinked when the female shot off in a glowing sphere of _yōki_, the essence releasing a beautiful, silvery white _inu_ into the sky. A little smaller than Sesshōmaru in her true form, Meiling ran off through the air howling her anger and grievances, the sound rattling Kagome's very bones as she watched the livid _inuyōkai_ fly up over the clouds.

"Do not mind her," Sheng assured, offering Kagome a small reassuring smirk. "She will calm, eventually. It is a pleasure to see you again."

Nodding numbly in agreement, Kagome found her tongue and fumbled with it a moment. "Thank you for protecting me. I would not have survived that attack."

"It was my honor and duty to do so," Sheng assured, turning somewhat to watch as Le lifted Sesshōmaru up over one shoulder and began to walk off with him. "Do not worry for him. Once he awakens he will heal himself. His injuries are minimal for such an encounter, and he will consider himself lucky later on."

"Minimal," Kagome muttered, awed and mortified by the sight of Sesshōmaru being transported unconscious. "Is this normal for _inuyōkai_?"

"Abnormal, actually," Sheng stated. "If Sesshōmaru had younger male kin then he would have been killed for his transgressions.

"Kagome-_sama_," Chiro suddenly mumbled, sounding worried. The lack of _Hidenka_ was obvious. "We must leave."

Blinking, Kagome looked to see Sesshōmaru's mother staring placidly at her. Impending death was a very cold and disembodying sensation... And a slight lift of the female's eyebrow had Kagome feeling a noose tighten around her neck. "I have changed my mind, Chiro. You are dismissed."

Ice settled in the pit of Kagome's stomach when her personal attendant bowed and obediently left without further delay.

"Come along, Kagome," bit Sesshōmaru's mother. "We have much to discuss."

Giving Sheng a worried look, he fell in step with her until a pulse of _yōki_ from the Western Lady made him stop. There were limits, Kagome understood that and appreciated his willingness to attend, but it did unsettle her to have to follow the female alone.

The _o-shiro_ quickly became unfamiliar, Kagome's usual routes very limited in the massive residence. Keeping a respective distance behind the female, her mind churned over the possible future. His mother did seem mad, to some extent, yet her _yōki _was placid and stirred very casually within her. Not sure how to feel, Kagome held her tongue and decided to do so until addressed. Eventually a servant fell in step with her, showing Kagome her apparent position, and soon paced ahead to open a set of _fusuma_. Admitting the two of them, the entrance slid shut and Kagome stopped in the room, uncertain as to what she was permitted to do as the Western Lady made her elegant way toward the table set in the middle of the room. Sitting, she did not regard Kagome for a few moments, rearranging some documents and halfheartedly pinching out the solitary candle to be found. The _shiro_ situated behind the female gave ample light from the sunrise, so Hisa's spy portal was far from necessary.

"Sit."

Self-conscious, Kagome bowed her head and walked over, choosing a cushion directly across the table from Sesshōmaru's mother. Silence continued as the female poured herself a steaming cup of tea, replacing the pot on its small heater and taking a sip, allowing the silence to drag on as Kagome tried to control her heartbeat.

"You are proving to be troublesome, human." Kagome watched as the teacup was set down, having nothing to say to that. She kept her eyes lowered as she felt the female's gaze upon her. "What do you propose that I do about you?"

"This is your home," Kagome replied truthfully. "I am a guest with no say over such matters."

Silent, the Western Lady tapped the rim of her cup with an elegant, lacquered claw, pondering. "I could have you executed, little one, for your transgressions against my son."

Thinning her lips, Kagome thought over that statement. "With all due respect, _Heika_, I have done nothing against your heir, and I mean no ill will toward your pack."

"Yet you seek to be his alpha mate," his mother stated. "Do you understand the consequences of such a union?"

"I do," Kagome answered, her heart in her throat.

"You do," the female restated, voice emotionless. "Your persistence to mate Sesshōmaru is the worst attack to our pack that I can fathom."

Resisting the urge to lick her lips, Kagome took a steadying breath before replying. "I have no need for persistence, _Heika_."

"Then leave the _o-shiro_," the female dismissed. "You are free to do so. Any of the stationed soldiers may take you to the land below."

"My apologies, but that would be futile."

"Shall I summon an escort for you?"

"It is not my unwillingness that poses a threat to your plans. Sesshōmaru will simply come for me when he can."

"You seem confident in that ideal imagination of yours," his mother stated.

As unfitting as it was, Kagome couldn't help but to offer a brief chuckle. "I have known Sesshōmaru for many summers, _Heika_. I did not wish to come to the _o-shiro_, but he did not permit me with an option on the matter. His desire to escape his arranged mating drove him to this point, not my seeking of anything more from him."

Kagome appreciated Inu-Yasha's training to create half-lies, because as Sesshōmaru's mother assessed her words Kagome was able to find a calming comfort in having spoken the absolute truth despite the slitted amber eyes that were locked onto her.

Seconds passed, the powerful female took another drink of tea, and it was while pondering Kagome further over the rim that the silence was broken. "If you love my son then you will do what is best for his future and leave his life."

"I cannot," Kagome conceded. "And I will not. I respect him and his right to decide his fate too much to abandon him."

"You will not be victorious against Meiling," his mother argued lightly, weathering her emotions very well. "Death will come for you by the next new moon, _miko_."

"Sesshōmaru is worth fighting for," Kagome said with earnest sincerity.

A slight lift to the female's eyebrow was the only queue to any emotion. "Do you believe then that I do not have his best of interests in mind?"

"There is no doubt that you do," Kagome assured, thoughts clicking around for a reasonable way to direct the conversation. "I have even asked Sesshōmaru to concede to your plans for the sake of his title and soldiers, pointing out Meiling's qualities. He would not tolerate it."

"Yet still you lay with him." Kagome suppressed her blush like her life depended on it, wondering if his mother could smell their lovemaking on her. "If you had the option of fighting as you desire while still steering him toward a reasonable future for someone of his status, a future devoid of you, would you consider the option?"

Wondering where this was going, wondering how to even respond to something like that, Kagome wore her concern on her sleeve. "I do not wish to deceive him."

"You would not," his mother stated calmly, sipping her tea. "In fact, you would not change your behavior at all, merely... create an opportunity."

"Set a trap for your son?"

"Not the phrasing I would favor," his mother admitted, humming lightly to herself. "Permitting the inevitable sounds much better."

This was hitting Kagome like a barrow of bricks from above, barrow included. "I cannot betray him like that, _Heika_."

"It would be the best thing you could possibly do for him," the female stated, a seriousness to her tone as she stared Kagome down with a gentle dominance. "With Meiling he will have the world at his disposal. With you, the world will dispose of him, and the Western Lands will perish, taking the human civilizations with it. Is this what you wish for?"

Torn, Kagome lowered her gaze. "It is not."

"Then cooperate both with my son and with me, little one," the female asked, a warmer quality in her voice. "Under different circumstances I would not be bothered by my pup's desire to mate you. At this point Japan needs Meiling to survive and prosper though, and Sesshōmaru cannot be bothered to come to the constant defense of a frail human female and her _hanyō_ offspring. You understand these issues, correct?"

"I do."

"Then you also understand what is necessary for Sesshōmaru to have his ideal destiny. All you will need to do is to sidestep when the time comes and allow for nature to take its intended course of action."

"Your son deserves to make his own decision on such matters."

"My pup has had a full century now to meet and pursue a female of his choosing," his mother stated, fingering her teacup once again. "He had shown no interest in becoming mated, but has with Meiling's coming to Japan. Soon after her arrival, perhaps when he met you, his interests began to die. Keeping you here serves to keep my rebellious pup around his true intended and nothing else. Once he is mated he may choose any number of females he desires and he may fall in love with them if he chooses, even you little _miko_, but Meiling must become his alpha female first for the sake of his heritage. His fate will be favorably secured in exchange for, at most, a lunar cycle of his discomfort with the arrangement."

Kagome saw the logic in it. She had even come to the same conclusion all on her own already. Something felt wrong about it, but that was likely due to Sesshōmaru's stubbornness.

"I appreciate your concern for him," his mother continued, her voice soft and at ease. "I hope that you may respond favorably to aiding me in allowing my only heir to live the best life that he can. I do not ask for an immediate decision, but the sooner the better for Sesshōmaru's sake."

Nodding, glad that she had time to turn the tables, Kagome stood and was surprised when the Western Lady also rose.

"Unfortunately, I must provide you with your own quarters," the female stated. "For your own safety. Meiling is being pushed to her limits and I do not wish to punish her for following her instincts."

"Will I be allowed to visit Sesshōmaru in his quarters?"

"I will not stop you," his mother admitted casually. "It is a risk you would accept, keeping your scent in the territory of Meiling's intended while she is in this state. If Sesshōmaru is as attached to you as you claim then you should see him by this evening, after he regains consciousness and seeks you out."

Thanking the Western Lady for her hospitality and understanding, Kagome followed her to the _fusuma_, which were opened by the same servant from earlier, and Kagome was handed off to the young male in order to be acquainted with her new private quarters. They were spacious, and he was thorough with pointing out various things, including her private garden that looked out over the edge of the _o-shiro_'s land, a small _dojo_ area for anything she chose, a nearby room to alleviate herself in, and where the nearest bathing area was. When he left it was not before asking if there was anything she required of him. Asking for some food, her stomach unsettled over a lack of breakfast and the stress of the passing events, she requested that Sheng be invited to visit her and allowed the servant to leave.

"Your expression does not bode well."

Sitting next to the candle, Kagome sighed and stared at the flame. "What am I going to do about this, Hisa?"

"That is best discussed with Sesshōmaru," the _hiyōkai _replied, flickering. "What did you discuss with the Western Lady?"

Kagome revealed the conversation, but found herself avoiding the details about the Western Lady's proposition. It was an option that Kagome could use if she got desperate, but it would flop if anyone else discovered it.

"She received you graciously," Hisa surmised. "All is well then."

"As well as can be," Kagome agreed, a little disheartened. "I may not be entertaining Sesshōmaru so much anymore. Can we train more often?"

"Certainly, my dear," the flame assured warmly. _Fusuma_ opened then, admitting Kagome's guest, and she smiled warmly to the elder _inuyōkai_. "Sheng, do have a seat."

"Hello, Hisa," he greeted fondly, doing exactly that and putting his hand over Kagome's. "Are you well?"

"Yes," she assured, smiling and glancing quickly at the tabletop before pulling her hand away. "We have a lot to discuss, and I have a lot of questions that I trust both of you to answer." After repeating to Sheng what she had told Hisa about the discussion Kagome asked them to verify some facts. "Did Sesshōmaru have a century now to seek out a mate in China?"

"He did," Sheng confirmed.

"Why didn't he do so?"

Sheng rolled his shoulders, and to their surprise the candle flickered out, but moments later Hisa entered the room in person, closing the _fusuma_ and coming to sit next to Sheng before speaking. "We would not be able to provide you with that answer."

"I figured," Kagome admitted, sighing. "What am I going to do about Meiling and the impending battle we have? Is she going to try and slit my throat before then?"

"She is merely vexed for now," Sheng stated. "Give her time, she will calm."

"Do not trust her completely though," Hisa warned. "It is not uncommon for a competitor to die before the scheduled engagement in _inuyōkai_ culture."

"That is true," Sheng admitted. "I will visit you regularly when you dine to assure the safety of your meals and drinks."

"You will just want to play another drinking game," Kagome jested.

"And _where_ was I for this," Hisa demanded, eyes brightening. "Surely you did not have a drinking game without me."

"I did lament your absence," Sheng offered with a smile to the female. "We will make amends for that in the near future."

"Maybe in a few days I can join in," Kagome offered with a smile. "I have a feeling that my life is going to get busy soon."

"Everyone will notice a difference after Sesshōmaru awakens," Sheng stated a touch thickly.

Hisa frowned. "What does that imply?"

Sheng filled her in on the details she missed out on and the _hiyōkai_ about burnt herself out from shock.

"Do sleep with him soon, dear," the female begged of Kagome. "It will keep more servants alive if you can reassure him in such a manner."

Blushing, Kagome shifted where she sat, feeling uncomfortable. "I do not know how often that would be a valid option. I'm able to get pregnant quite often each month, and I really don't want to be stuck with a _hanyō _pup."

"Understandable," Sheng admitted before the servant returned bearing food and drink. He left with a small order of _sake _for Sheng, merely ten flasks. "What are some other questions you have, dear?"

Kagome inquired over a plethora of matters, including a lot of what-if scenarios. If she tried to stall the match with Meiling or refused to finish the female then it was the right of Sesshōmaru's mother to order Kagome's execution for disgracing their customs and the match. If Kagome left too soon after winning against Meiling then it would be seen as a forfeit despite victory, allowing the alpha following female all rights to Sesshōmaru, but if Kagome didn't leave soon enough then she risked becoming mated to Sesshōmaru for custom's sake if nothing else, which was apparently mandatory considering the time it could take to induce a heat for proper mating.

Hisa and Sheng also offered her some useful advice that she didn't think to ask after the servant left for the last time, allowing Sheng some comfort in holding a flask of _sake_ while discussing these matters. They advised to not seek Meiling out, but to entertain the female's desire for company if she extended such an invitation. Such was normal in _inuyōkai _society between scheduled combatants, which made Kagome curious but unable to grasp any obvious reasoning for such behavior. Visiting Sesshōmaru's rooms was indeed a risk that they advised against, but a servant relaying a message was not abnormal and would actually help Kagome in her act as Sesshōmaru's lover under such circumstances. Being accepted as his intended did put Kagome at higher risk with the three females vying for the male's attention though, and they would also seek her out with great frequency to establish hierarchy around the fourth 'extra'. Training would have to take place in Kagome's rooms since guards would be posted outside soon for her own safety against assassination and out of respect for Sesshōmaru's acceptance but nowhere else in the _o-shiro_, so the halls were much safer for Hisa or Sheng to traverse. Nothing should be consumed without the consent an _inuyōkai_ she trusted, and Sheng informed her that he wished to train her with the sword as well, which excited Kagome quite a bit.

By midday Sheng took his leave to attend a meeting, leaving Hisa who insisted to begin their training again immediately. Kagome took comfort in their session, focusing quite a bit on learning how to create a moving barrier and finding the concept difficult to grasp. It was nice though to feel like she was making progress, despite all of the shortcomings that were already promised that morning. She would do her best to help Sesshōmaru, to make sure that he got what he wanted, but it would be stupid of her to consider that there was no limitation to how much she was willing to sacrifice. There was definitely a limit to how much she _should_ be willing to give up for him, and already she had crossed that limit with her willingness to train and engage with Meiling. Particularly after his behavior that morning.

"Focus," Hisa ordered, drawing Kagome a little more out of her thoughts as the training continued. Sesshōmaru's regard toward her was worrisome that morning. He had been so closed off, so blasé toward her, and she had some personal worries to settle in regards to the both of them. Would he be of the opinion that he could strip her down for sex whenever he desired now? Would he be willing to compensate or forgo some things depending on her needs? She wished that Sango was there to talk with again, but that would not be an option, not until after the battle with Meiling, so she sighed, bottled up her worries once again for a later time, and tried to attach a barrier to a fruit rolling along the floor, wishing it would just incinerate.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Oh my goodness, it's done! XD Finally updated! I'm so happy that it finally happened. And I know, I know, poor Sesshy. Absorb the culture shock and get over it. ;) Hope you enjoyed reading, this chapter took a long time to compose and tie around the story's plot and required, like, full edits, so let me know if something felt off and please describe why you feel it did. I will aspire to update again as soon as possible, and personally wish that the next one isn't nearly as long, haha. ^_^' Thanks for reading!


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